The seizure of consignments of animal feed containing potentially BSE-contaminated traces of bone was a worrying development for Irish agriculture, according to the Labour Party spokeswoman on agriculture, Dr Mary Upton.
The Department of Agriculture and Food announced on Tuesday that it had seized a large quantity of beet pulp imported last month from Germany which was contaminated with bone which is banned in all animal feed.
It said yesterday that it had recovered nearly 98 per cent of the material involved and was actively attempting to recover any animal feed into which the remainder of the pulp had been incorporated.
Dr Upton said the seizure "highlights the need for closer scrutiny of imported animal feed and it shows up the need for testing and results to be available prior to release of a product".
"The material discovered here could contribute to a risk of BSE. Any traces of animal bone are not acceptable in animal feed and are indeed forbidden," said Dr Upton.
"Unexplained cases of BSE need full investigation and while there is no evidence that connects imported animal feed, it is of concern that such a product is on sale. It is clear by now that even minute traces of infected material could be enough to cause BSE," she added.
The deputy leader of the Irish Farmers Association said it is time that the EU implemented a licensing system for feed ingredient importers and traders.
Mr Ruadhrí Deasy said that following the discovery of contaminated imported sugar beet pulp, all imported feed ingredients should be sampled and approved before being placed on the market.
"It is unacceptable that while Irish farmers are subjected to rigorous inspection and traceability rules, the same rules do not apply to the major commodity importers and traders. No imported feed ingredients should be placed on the open market prior to rigorous sampling being carried out and the ingredients passed for feed use," he said