PRESS RELEASE

UPDATE ON MAD COW DISEASE IN THE USA: BELIZE'S MEASURES

Belmopan, 6th January, 2004

The National Zoonosis Committee met on Tuesday, January 6th, 2004 in Belmopan to discuss the current Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE or "Mad Cow" Disease) outbreak in the USA and the measures Belize needs to adopt to prevent its introduction into our country. Given that the "Mad Cow" case is still under investigation in the USA and given that the Chief Veterinary Officers of OIRSA member countries, including Belize, will meet on Tuesday, January 13th, 2004 in El Salvador, it was decided to maintain the temporary ban on all high-risk animal commodities. Some of the restrictive measures mentioned previously may be lifted, under rigorous import control measures, if at the OIRSA meeting, the member countries agree to adopt these based on scientific evidence and evolution of the disease in the USA. CARICOM has restated that its member countries are to allowed to import live ruminants and their meat products ONLY from countries free from BSE. The restrictive measures apply to the USA as a country and not only to Washington State, the affected state.

A list of prohibited commodities can be obtained from any BAHA office. Additional information can be obtained from BAHA, the Ministries of Agriculture or Health and the Belize Livestock Producers Association.

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