Montserrat bans US meat

Wednesday, January 14, 2004

BRADES, Montserrat (GIU): The government of Montserrat has banned all meat and meat products from the United States of America.

Eugene Skerritt, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Housing and the Environment, says with immediate effect all beef, pork and mutton originating in North America will be refused entry at local ports.

The Permanent Secretary says the action has become necessary because the United States has confirmed one case of BSE or mad cow disease and is in the process of tracking other cows that may be infected.

BSE or mad cow disease is a chronic degenerative disease affecting the central nervous system of cattle.

Skerritt says the action taken by Montserrat is consistent with the unified approach taken by all Caribbean Community (Caricom) member countries.

The senior government official says the ban will remain in place until local authorities can confirm that the threat of BSE or mad cow disease has been eliminated.

Skerritt says local meat producers are being encouraged and supported to fill the gap created by the imposition of the ban on meat and meat products from the United States. 

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