DEC 7 2008
A crisis in the pig industry in Ireland now reaches Britain too. At least nine farms in Northern Ireland are confirmed to have received pig feed from the Irish Republic contaminated with dioxin.
Given that the Irish have withdrawn their entire pork produce from shelves, it would now seem logical Britain, at least Northern Ireland, will do the same.
I've just finished interviewing a pork industry spokesman who confirmed that it is theoretically possible contaminated feed could have been sent to mainland Britain. And it seems it's pretty hard to know whether your sausages have come from Northern Ireland or not.
So there's a big problem.
As with bird flu it's not the inherent risk but the precautionary measures that matter. Personally I'd go on eating Irish pork quite happily and the experts say it is quite safe to do so. But governments, or at least Dublin, are taking no risks.
Your move - UK.
As I write the Food Standards Agency are not saying a lot. That is not a sustainable position I suggest, given the above news. The UK government department DEFRA, say it's an FSA matter, nothing to do with them.
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