| Author: Peter Bryant | Title: RPRA meet DEFRA |
| Date: 2006-02-03 17:15:44 | Uploaded by: webmaster |
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Further to the info that will be published in the fancy press this week, I attended a meeting at DEFRA yesterday. It was a general meeting ostensibly to deal with the poultry industry but nevertheless gave an update on the current situation.
On the way in to the meeting I met with the vet that has been dealing with the issue of pigeon racing and the threat of AI. He sounded quite positive that we would be able to race from the continent this year and I will be formally writing to him today to outline our concerns/conditions etc.
The meeting gave an update on the Turkey situation and there are many British scientists in the country assisting in the tests there. The Turkish poultry industry, large apparently, is unaffected by the AI there and the localised outbreaks is down to poor conditions and husbandry in villages and the fact that people are not treating dead poultry with the respect that they should. The outbreak in Cyprus may have been caused by an imported cock fighting bantam from Turkey, which ultimately is good news as it means that the AI was not airborne communicated.
There was discussion on the poultry register. Pigeons only need to be included if they are for the food chain (except in Northern Ireland where an all Ireland case has been made and all lofts must register).
As spring arrives there is a decreased risk of contaminated birds with AI. Our summer visitors tend to come from the Med and Africa where there are no current outbreaks of AI (Cyprus excluded).
DEFRA were pleased with the response from the licence arrangements at the Blackpool show. The Chief Vet said that there was a difference between lifting any ban and enforcing the General Licence requirements as to revoke the General Licence from a legal point of view can be made quickly. Any escalation of the risk will be given as soon as possible.
After the meeting I met with the new civil servant that will be dealing with racing issues so that was mutually beneficial.
I have also become aware of confirmation from the Belgian Government that we can indeed race from Belgium this season, subject to any change in the threat assessment. Clearly the problem is that of France’s dogmatic application of the EU ban. We shall strive to get that changed if we can.
Regards,
Peter Bryant
General Manager
The Royal Pigeon Racing Association
The Reddings
near Cheltenham, Glos GL51 6RN
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