Turkey producers, vets, consumers and retailers will be asked for their views about how EU legislation should be introduced to control Salmonella in turkey flocks.
According to Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the EU’s National Control Programme is intended to reduce and control the prevalence of Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium in turkey flocks for the protection of human health.
This National Control Programme is due to become law in January 2010. This will require producers to: meet a reduction target of positive samples; meet minimum sampling requirements to verify this; and, take special measures should flocks test positive to the bacteria.
It is hoped that this programme will enable the UK turkey flock sector to build on its success in controlling Salmonella, and to benefit from producers across the EU by applying consistent and comparable approaches, says Defra.
Consultation period runs from July 29 until September 23.