NOAH conference offers chance for open forum on safe food from healthy animals

A conference organised by NOAH (The National Office of Animal Health) saw a wide spread of people with interests in animal health and food safety gathering together under one roof during the Smithfield Show at Earls Court, London. Entitled ‘Healthy Animals - Safe Food’, the event offered an excellent opportunity for discussion about the vital role animal medicines play in producing safe, healthy food from British livestock.

“The industry is very aware of the pressure from consumers for the highest quality, safest food possible and fully supports the rigorous controls that exist to ensure that animal medicines do not enter the food chain,” said NOAH Chief Executive Phil Sketchley. “However, we believe that it is only responsible and humane to treat ailments in animals with safe, appropriate medicines. We should not be embarrassed about the fact that medicines are used for animals. After all, healthy animals mean healthy food”.

The meeting was chaired by Baroness Byford, the Shadow Minister for Food, Farming and Rural Affairs. Speakers were able to explain and reassure the audience that safe food comes from healthy animals and that stringent regulation and control exists to ensure both food safety and the welfare of animals.

“We wanted to bring together as many different organisations and views as possible,” commented Mr Sketchley. “We were delighted to welcome 75 delegates to the conference, including representatives of the animal health sector, Government organisations, the food industry, organic farming representatives, consumers, processors and retailers”. The conference was able to dispel a few misconceptions, and to concentrate on the responsible science of the subject. “Science and research are vital in this field where unsubstantiated claims about food safety are common and can have the effect of alarming and distressing consumers,” Mr Sketchley commented. “The animal medicines industry is very aware of and sensitive to consumer concerns and changing requirements, and believes that sound science and rational discussion contribute to reassuring the public” Six speakers addressed the conference representing DEFRA, the Food Standards Agency, Veterinary Medicines Directorate as well as the RUMA (Responsible Use of Medicines in Agriculture) Alliance, academia and NOAH. At the end of the morning there was an opportunity for open debate and questions, and exchanging views was actively encouraged.

“We wanted to offer people a real opportunity to air their views and ask their questions,” said Mr Sketchley. “This was definitely a two-way conversation and I hope we were all able to learn from each other’s contributions. Let’s hope we can keep up the contact in the future so we can all work together towards a healthy British livestock industry.”

Ends

10 December 2004

Notes for Editors

For further information contact Phil Sketchley or Alison Glennon at NOAH, tel. +44 (0)20 8367 3131, or visit the NOAH website.
The National Office of Animal Health was formed on 1 January 1986 to represent the UK companies which research, develop, manufacture and market licensed animal health products. The association has 32 corporate members and 12 associate members. In 2003 NOAH's members accounted for well over 90% of the £398 million UK animal health market.
The NOAH conference “Healthy animals – safe food” was held at the Royal Smithfield Show at the Earls Court Conference Centre on Friday 3rd December. The conference tackled the key issues relating to the use of animal medicines in the food chain including licensing and distribution, research and development and a discussion on the challenges facing the industry in the future. Speakers included John FitzGerald, director of policy at the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, Professor Quentin McKellar the principal and dean of the Royal Veterinary College and Dr Richard Manlove, Merial Animal Health. Tim Foster from the Food Standards Agency addressed the issue of how animal medicines support food safety, and Peter Allen, chairman of the RUMA (Responsible Use of Medicines in Animals) Alliance, explained how advice on best practice on animal medicine use is communicated to farmers. DEFRA was represented by Dr Marion Rawlins who outlined plans to promote wider use of farm health planning as part of the Animal Health and Welfare Strategy.