Germany Adjusts to New Animal Health Regulations
GERMANY – Greater responsibility now rests on farmers to improve farm biosecurity and prevent disease after a new government ruling was announced yesterday (1 May).
2 May 2014
1 minute read
The new Animal Health Act tightens up guidelines on combatting and controlling livestock disease and demands extra care from veterinarians and animal owners.
But the ruling goes too far in its demands of farmers, who have little impact in a border-free Europe with public access to land, according to the German Farmers Association (DBV).
“Many diseases are not influenced farmers,” said a DBV spokesperson. “Often pet owners are powerless too; we saw this in the recent Schmallenberg and Bluetongue cases.”
No matter how good farm biosecurity can be it cannot stop pathogens entering by careless travellers and mistakes made at border control, the spokesman added.
Going forward, the spokesman said DBV leaders want to see politicians and society act sensitively to support farmer efforts in disease control.
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