Press Releases

Consultation on prevention and control of veterinary diseases
Friday, June 29, 2001

Medical and veterinary professionals, farmers, livestock feed traders, and related parties are reminded to give their views on the proposed legislative amendments to enhance the prevention and control of veterinary diseases before July 14.

Senior Veterinary Officer (Livestock) of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), Dr Howard Wong, said today (June 29) that there is a need to exercise proper control over the import of fish, fodder, carcasses and other articles that may introduce disease.

Under the existing Public Health (Animals and Birds) Ordinance and Regulations (Cap. 139), import controls are imposed on live animals and birds.

"With the rapid development of international trade and emergence of new diseases, items apart from live animals and birds may also constitute a risk to public and veterinary health.

"We therefore propose to extend the coverage of the Ordinance and Regulations to include fish, fodder, carcasses and parts of animals, and other items used in conjunction with animals, birds and fish that may introduce disease.

"We also propose providing the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation with powers to enable her to impose a requirement for health or sanitary certification when a genuine risk to public or veterinary health arises from the import of fish, meat, animal fodder or other items used with animals, birds and fish," Dr Wong said.

One of the items on which AFCD intends to impose this proposed requirement is meat-and-bone meal derived wholly or in part from ruminants. This material was the source of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (mad cow disease) in the EU when fed back to cattle.

Meat imported from countries where serious veterinary diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease occur will also be subject to certification if scientific risk assessment demonstrates it poses a risk to the health of local livestock.

"We will take into account the views of all parties concerned before finalising the proposals. Members of the public are also welcome to give their views," Dr Wong said.

The consultation document is available on AFCD's website (http://www.info.gov.hk/afcd). Copies of the document are also available from AFCD Headquarters, fifth floor, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 303 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Kowloon.

All comments should be forwarded to the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation, fifth floor, Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices before July 14, 2001. Comments can also be sent by fax to 2311 3731 or by e-mail to afcdenq@afcd.gov.hk.