Export certificates not to be issued with BSE guarantee
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Published 23.01.2015 | Modified 26.01.2015
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The NFSA will, until further notice, not print out export certificates which affirm that BSE has not been detected in cattle in Norway.
- Because of the unresolved situation regarding BSE, the NFSA has decided that we are not, for the time being, printing out export certificates which affirm that BSE has not been detected in cattle in Norway, says Ole Fjetland, Asst. Supervising Director of the FSA.
Background
A routine test of a cow in Nord-Trøndelag has given indications of possible BSE (mad cow disease).
- We are waiting for the final test results from a laboratory in England. They are expected in the middle of next week. The cow is destroyed and no part of the cow has been sent to the slaughterhouse. Therefore there is no reason to worry about infection through meat or milk, says Fjetland.
To avoid the contamination of food, all parts of an animal which could contain infectious agents are routinely removed at the slaughterhouse and sent to be destroyed. The NFSA is handling the situation according to the emergency preparedness plan for the area, and has implemented all necessary measures regardless of whether the test results confirm the suspicion or not.
Concerns 26 certificates
Until the diagnosis is confirmed or ruled out in Norway, the NFSA has, in agreement with the relevant industries, concluded that such a self-imposed suspension is the most appropriate action until we know something more.
- When the test result are available, we will evaluate whether we need to renegotiate the texts regarding BSE on export certificates, concludes Fjetland.