The Department of Agriculture (DA) has ordered a temporary ban on the importation of live cattle, meat and meat products from the United Kingdom (UK) following the outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, better known as mad cow disease, in that country.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced the ban in a memorandum order issued on 30 May 2024.
According to the DA, the C-type BSE was detected in South Ayrshire, Scotland on 10 May this year as reported in the World Organization for Animal Health – World Animal Health Information System and the official letter the DA received from the UK chief veterinary officer.
Mad cow disease can cause fatal nerve damage in cattle and its entry or spread in the country threatens livestock and compromises food safety.
DA said the animal disease is zoonotic in nature and causes Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans manifested through brain shrinkage and deterioration.
Since imported beef is staple fare in fast-food and high-end restaurants, and a key ingredient in processed and canned food, all shipments from the UK already in transit are allowed entry provided the products were slaughtered or produced on or before 10 April 2024.
The DA is implementing more stringent inspection of meat and meat by-products derived from cattle at the ports of entry, ensuring that only non-infected and safe commodities enter the country.
Bureau of Animal Industry data show that from January to March this year, 1,015,339 kilos of beef were shipped from the UK to the Philippines or 2.9 percent of the 35,319,613 kilos of beef shipped during the period.
The UK shipped 2,534,192 kilos or 1.7 percent of the total 145,002,329 kilos of beef exported to the Philippines last year.
