BVA: Vets’ role in food safety and animal welfare must not be reduced

The British Veterinary Association (BVA) has called on the government to be cautious about any attempt to reduce the role played by vets in safeguarding UK food safety and animal welfare.

It issued the warning in response to a recent Guardian report on recommendations made by external consultants through the Cabinet Office's Red Tape Challenge to make cuts to health inspections on farms, as well as using 'non-vets' to carry out bovine tuberculosis testing.

The BVA has questioned the wisdom of this, acknowledging the current pressures on public spending, but suggesting that any move that would compromise animal health and welfare is indicative of "short-term expediency".

Furthermore, it reminded the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs of the results of a recent survey it conducted, showing that local vets are considered a trusted source of key information and fundamental to ensuring robust disease control and eradication strategies.

BVA president John Blackwell said: "It is important to stress that any attempt to reduce regulation by government should not increase risk by reducing the pivotal role vets carry out in public health and food safety, alongside animal health and welfare."

This week, the organisation also called on the Welsh government to bring an end to the practice of non-stun slaughter, something the BVA is keen to achieve across the UK.