DEFRA consultation on Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs)

Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs is consulting on amending the English and Welsh regulations on Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs). Consultation closes 29^th December.  https://consult.defra.gov.uk/plant-and-animal-health/tseconsultation/.  TSEs are a family of diseases which include Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle and scrapie in sheep and goats. The changes would:

• bring UK law regarding controls on feeding animal protein and handling of Specified Risk Material into line with EU regulations
• update scrapie compensation rates paid to farmers for sheep and goats
• transfer the cost of sampling fallen cattle, which require testing for BSE, to the farming industry
• make other minor amendments

These changes would apply to Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (England) Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/801) and Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (Wales) Regulations 2008 (WSI 2008/3154)