BELGIUM/FRANCE: European Union animal experts meet in Brussels to consider requests to vaccinate millions of birds against avian influenza

Record ID: 837828

  • Title: BELGIUM/FRANCE: European Union animal experts meet in Brussels to consider requests to vaccinate millions of birds against avian influenza
  • Date: 21st February 2006
  • Summary: WIDE SHOT MARKET; CLOSE UP WHITE ROOSTER MEAT IN BOX; OPEN BOXES; MARKET OPERATOR HANDLING CHICKEN; PEOPLE WORKING IN MARKET; MARKET OPERATOR CHECKING BOXES; CHICKEN BEING DISPLAYED INSIDE BOX; MARKET OPERATOR WORKING; CHICKEN BEING DISPLAYED IN BOXES; ROOSTER IN BOX CHICKEN MEAT; HIGH ANGLE SHOT MARKET (5 SHOTS)
  • Embargoed: 8th March 2006 12:00
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  • Topics: European Union,Health
  • Reuters ID: LVABWOFL8XNPMONRASLG1ALACT34
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  • Story Text: The Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health, directed by Bernard Van Goethem, met on Tuesday (February 21, 2006) to consider requests from France and the Netherlands, among Europe's biggest poultry producers, to be allowed to vaccinate millions of birds against avian influenza.
    The meeting was called in Brussels, following the death of a wild duck in Ain, near the French city of Lyon, due to the deadly virus.
    At least 15 nations have reported outbreaks in birds this month, an indication that the virus, which has killed more than 90 people, is spreading faster.
    Bird flu maintained its march across Europe on Tuesday (February 21), with Hungary and Croatia the latest countries to report outbreaks.
    Meanwhile, chicken producers at one of Europe's largest wholesale farm products said on Tuesday that they are confident consumers will stay calm and that poultry consumption will not drop dramatically following the announcement by the French Health Ministry of the first case of the lethal H5N1 strain of avian flu found in a deceased wild duck in France.
    The duck was found near Joyeux, a village of 200 residents in the department of Ain, in central France.
    The confirmed case makes France the sixth European Union (EU) country to be affected by avian flu.
    Poultry farmers across the country, which is the top European poultry producer and the world's fourth-biggest exporter, have already implemented the government's emergency measures to limit the spread of the disease from wild birds to domestic ones.
    All poultry and game are now required to be kept indoors, with random checks taking place at farms all over the country by trained vets to ensure that no birds are still roaming outdoors.
    Road checks have been set up into and out of a three-kilometre security perimeter, cordoning off the spot where the bird was discovered.
    At Rangis market, Mark Hervouet, president of the French Federation of Farm Trade, appealed for calm, and reiterated that precautionary measures are being taken, and that consumption of cooked chicken meat poses no risk to humans.
    "It is not a disaster. The market is still working. We will sell poultry, quantities are smaller than usual, but there are no serious consequences, no big drop in total demand," said Hervouet.
    "I think we need transparency in the information. We need to remember one thing, something that all scientists agree on, the H5N1 has existed for many years, there have been cases of infection and some fatalities, but never caused by food. It means that we don't catch bird flu by eating poultry," he added.
    The newly discovered case of the deadly strain of avian flu in France is the most westward confirmation of the disease so far.
    The French government said it is currently adequately prepared to deal with isolated cases, but must rely on educating the population to ensure that the measures are effectively implemented.
    French poultry farmers have already seen a significant dip in exports and sales due to the fear of avian flu, and the government has asked the EU for compensation for lost profits.
    Jean-Michel Lemetayer, president of France's farmers' union, said on Tuesday (February 21) he hoped that the country's anti-bird flu vaccination programme would be authorized by the European Union.
    Lemetayer said that he felt deceived by the EU's refusal to accord any financial aid to the poultry sectors of countries affected by the bird flu.
    "We need scientists to state very clearly that eating poultry is ok. This is the only way to reassure consumers. I think we produce food of good quality and it' safe. France is the first producing country in terms of quality," Lemetayer said.
    The union leader said he hoped that the European Commission would at least authorize France's vaccination programme to avoid the transmission of the N5H1 virus from wild birds to breedings.
    "I hope that France is going to obtain very quickly, in the next days, the authorization to vaccinate. It's not a solution to everything because at some stage it can be a limit to exports. Anyway, it's a way to protect ourselves from a possible bird flu epidemic. We need to think about all our outdoor breedings. Some areas are more sensitive. The minister focused his programme mainly on three departments. I hope it's going to be authorized. This would allow farmers to protect themselves," Lemetayer added.
    Despite governments' efforts to reassure the public that eating cooked poultry remains safe, poultry farmers said consumption has fallen and caused at least hundreds of millions of euros in losses.
    Poultry sales in France are some 15-20 percent down on usual levels, bringing union calls for compensation for farmers. Exports, worth 600 million euros a year, are down 20-30 percent.
    France's chief farmers' union, the FNSEA (Federation Nationale des Syndicats d'Exploitants Agricoles) has demanded that the government free up funds to support poultry producers' efforts to prevent and fight the flu.
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