Meat & Bone Meal Ban in Feeds Remains in Place

EU - Poland's request to resume the use of 'processed animal protein' (meat and bone meal, MBM) in feeds for pigs and poultry was rejected by other Member States until issues over the material's involvement in the transmission of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) have been resolved.

22 February 2011

2 minute read

At yesterday's 3070th meeting on the Agriculture and Fisheries Council, the Polish delegation informed the ministers on its request to allow the use of processed animal protein (PAPs) in feeding of poultry and pigs, which would imply to review certain restrictive measures adopted to fight transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs). The competitiveness of the pig and poultry farming could be improved by a reduction of the EU dependency to the imports of plant proteins from third countries (6619/11).

While most of the Member States acknowledged the request of Poland, they insisted that any review of the current ban should respect the Council conclusions on the TSE Road Map 2 adopted during the November agriculture Council (13889/10 ADD 1 REV 1). Such a review should be primarily driven by scientific advice and technical issues related to the control and enforcement of the new measures; it would also be linked to the availability of validated tests available to distinguish between PAPs originating from different species and the channelling of the PAPs manufacturing according to the species.