EU could lift feed ban

The move comes 14 years after the practice was banned at the height of the BSE crisis, with the European Commission set to make a final decision on the ban in 2009.

Under the plans, the ban on feeding animal remains to ruminants would remain in place, but would be lifted for pigs and poultry.

It would provide an alternative source of feed for many farmers who have been hit by rising input costs, and could slash the cost of animal feed.

The move is likely to cause concern in the industry, with farmers keen not to alienate consumers by going back to a practice which received wide public criticism at the height of the crisis.

European Commissioners are also concerned that should the ban be lifted, contamination could still lead to animal proteins finding their way into cattle feed.

EU scientists are currently completing research on the subject which will be presented to Commissioners at the end of the year before a final decision on the ban is made.

Defra has said that it will only endorse the relaxing of the ban if the EU can ensure that rigorous testing had been carried out to prove that it is safe.

Many have called for the ban to be lifted on pigs and poultry as they are omnivores, whilst ruminants – where the problem first came to light in the 1994 BSE crisis - are herbivores and therefore should not be fed on animal remains.

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