EU lifts British beef export ban

Responding to news that the ten-year worldwide ban on British beef exports has been lifted by the EU, Shadow Agriculture Minister Jim Paice said: 'Thank goodness that this black period for our beef industry is over. British beef is amongst the best and safest in the world. Now it is essential that the government does all it can to facilitate beef and livestock exports. Whilst we would prefer all animals to be reared and killed with the minimum travel, hundreds of thousands of calves have been shot at birth because there is no market for them in Britain. Now that transport rules have improved and veal crates are about to be banned, calf exports should resume under strict enforcement of the new rules. For dairy farmers the extra income is essential when milk prices are so low.'