The EU's ban on Brazilian POAO begins today (3 September). EU auditors are auditing Brazil's new controls for poultry and honey until 4 September. If the audit results are favourable, the Commission may propose updating the list of approved third countries to reinstate Brazil for poultry and/or honey, subject to a SCoPAFF Committee vote. Upcoming meetings are scheduled in September, October, and November. The ban will also apply in Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
Following a referendum vote over the weekend, Iceland rejected restarting EU membership talks with 52.8% against and 47.2% in favour, a difference of 12,600 votes. The vote comes as a relief to Icelandic farmers. In mid-August during an assembly of the Icelandic Farmers Association, 95% said they didn’t support accession talks because of the impact on agriculture, where many sensitive products including dairy and meat remain protected through tariffs and quotas.
The Commission has opposed a German draft law requiring imported pork products to display animal welfare information, citing restrictions on free market goods. Austria, Latvia, Poland, Spain, France, and Czechia share concerns about disproportionate impacts on foreign producers.
Shamonda-type Orthobunyavirus (SHAV) has officially been confirmed in Normandy in both sheep and cattle. Several horses and alpacas have also tested positive for the virus in Switzerland, and the virus has also been confirmed in Austria and is rapidly spreading.
BAB has responded to the Commission’s ‘Have Your Say’ on extension of the 5% non-organic protein feed derogation. The current derogation expires on 31 December 2026. The Commission’s draft act would extend the derogation until 31 December 3036, but only for young pigs (<35 kg) and young poultry. BAB supports extension of the derogation for pigs and poultry of all ages.
The Commission has approved a €30 million scheme for agricultural, fishery, and aquaculture companies facing higher fuel and fertiliser costs due to the Middle East crisis. Approved under the METSAF, aid will be provided as direct grants (max €50,000 per company). Fertiliser aid is calculated based on hectares of land and number of animals, while fuel aid amounts to €0.10 per litre of agricultural diesel consumed.
The BAB Bulletin is an email service offered to all members, staff and external contacts who wish to sign up. For more information on anything you have read, please visit the BAB webpage. Although every effort has been made to ensure accuracy neither BAB nor the author can accept liability for errors and omissions.
Strictly necessary: Strictly necessary cookies serve critical purposes, such as security, network management, and accessibility. While you have the option to adjust your browser settings to disable these cookies, keep in mind that doing so might impact the website’s functionality.
Functionality cookies: Functionality cookies are cookies that help enhance a website’s performance and functionality. For example, functionality cookies can be used to allow video playback or remember a user’s region.
Analytical/performance cookies: All data gathered through analytical cookies is anonymous and used solely to improve our website’s performance and your user experience. Analytical cookies help us understand how you use our website. They tell us which pages you visit most frequently, how long you spend on a page, and which links you select. They help us create a better user experience for you and all our NFU members. Your cookie preferences can be managed in your browser settings, but remember, disabling analytical cookies may limit your ability to access certain features or receive personalised content.
Targeting cookies: Our targeting cookies monitor your interactions with websites. They monitor which pages you visit, how long you spend on a page, and the links you select.
Business benefits: From a business perspective, marketing cookies allow companies to fine-tune their ad campaigns, ensuring they reach the right audience.
Targeted advertising: Armed with this data, marketers can tailor their advertisements to match your preferences. When you see those personalized ads while browsing, its often because marketing cookies have been installed.
Third-party involvement: These cookies are typically set by external entities (not the website your directly visiting). For instance, advertising networks or analytics providers may deploy marketing cookies.
