New EFSA report shows that EU livestock complies with Regulations on Veterinary Medicinal Products

The latest report from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on the presence of residues of veterinary medicinal products and certain substances in live animals and animal products demonstrates again that livestock farmers are taking the necessary steps to comply with EU regulations on the use of veterinary medicinal products. The percentage of non-compliant samples in 2021 was lower than in previous years.

In 2021, all EU Member States, Iceland, Norway and the United Kingdom, reported in the framework of the residue monitoring a total of 621,205 samples. The EU legislative framework defines the maximum limits permitted in food and monitoring programmes for the control of the presence of veterinary medicinal products in food-producing animals and animal products, as well as the maximum residue levels for pesticides in or on food and feed of plant and animal origin and the presence of certain contaminants in animal products. Overall, there were only 0.24% non-compliant samples – almost none – out of the 351,637 targeted samples in 2021; a trend observed over the past decade. This emphasises that the occurrence of residues is almost non-existent and always detected by the Competent Authority that removes these products from the market, guaranteeing the safety of EU food.

This report is a clear and comprehensive demonstration of the commitment of European livestock farmers to ensuring the safety of the food chain and the protection of public health.

“This is a positive trend that shows that livestock farmers in the EU are taking their responsibility to ensure the safety of the food chain seriously. Positive news is harder to get past the media wall, yet this should be highlighted more, also by EU decision makers. This further demonstrates to me the critical importance of preserving a European livestock sector and to avoid having European policies leading to the reduction of the number of producers in Europe,” said Miguel-Angel Higuera, Chair of the Animal Health and Welfare Working Party of Copa-Cogeca.

Artigo publicado originalmente em Copa Cogeca.