Press Release: New European-wide controls on scrapie-affected farms from 1 October

From 1 October 2003, new EU legislation will require action on farms with confirmed cases of scrapie. Sheep farmers with scrapie cases will benefit from free genotyping of all sheep on their farm to enable them to breed preferentially for scrapie resistance. It is expected that, following a period of consultation, due to take place in the Autumn of 2003, the controls will be enforced on a compulsory basis by early 2004.