§ Bob SpinkTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the EU ban on the use of antimicrobial growth promoters in animal feeds; and if she will make a statement. [167071]
§ Mr. BradshawThe EU-wide ban on the use of antimicrobial growth promoters comes into effect on1348W 1 January 2006. The VMD collects and publishes annual figures of sales of all veterinary therapeutic and growth promoting antimicrobials to monitor changes in sales of these products. The latest figures available show that sales of antimicrobial growth promoters had reduced to 27 tonnes of active ingredients in 2002.
Officials from the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) have held a number of discussions with colleagues from Denmark and other countries that have already voluntarily banned the use of antimicrobial growth promoters. They have considered their experiences and the success of the measures put into place to minimise any adverse effects from the loss of these products. In the period following the ban an increase in animal illness had been noticed that lead to an increase in use of therapeutic antimicrobials.
This information is being shared with industry through VMD's regular meetings with the Responsible Use of Medicines In Agriculture (RUMA) alliance. A representative from RUMA also recently attended a meeting of the Defra Antimicrobial Resistance Coordination (DARC) group to discuss this issue. Further such meetings are planned.
Another part of the Government's efforts to help farmers prepare for the ban was to fund a research and development project to look at the potential effects of the withdrawal of antimicrobial growth promoters on the pig industry. The results have shown ways farmers can adapt their herd management to cope with the ban on antimicrobial growth promoters without increasing the risk of disease and therefore the need to treat with therapeutic antimicrobials. Two meetings have been held with pig farmers to inform them of the results. Details of the project can be found at www.vmd.defra.gov.uk.