Uruguay seeks to capitalise on European audit

The General Director of Husbandry Services of the Ministry of Husbandry, Uruguay, Francisco Muzio, is attending a meeting today in Brussels with the authorities of the European Sanitary Services to achieve a better positioning of Uruguay after that a recent European audit proved the sanitary strengths of Uruguay.

Muzio explained that despite the fact that in the last audits there were some reommendations, the solid Uruguayan sanitary system outstands with regards to its certification scheme and individual traceability, as well as it vigilance aspects and FMD vaccination.

Based on the assesment that the EU made of the Uruguayan sanitary system the DGSG will put forward to Brussels that there is no justification for the requirement to the EU exporting packers to concentrate the  animals 40 days prior to slaughter.

This point has been motive for claims from the farmers and cattle brokers due to the inconveniencies it causes to the commercial operation. Uruguay has demonstrated for several years now that there is no virus circulation, that keeps a strong vigilance system and that now possesses an individual animal identification system, hence, it is not necessary to quarantine the animals prior to slaughter.

The exports of bone in ovine products are in Muzio’s agenda for the meeting as well. This has already been requested on his former meeting.