The economics of production of the livestock sector is heavily influenced by changes to price and support systems but also by the standards set under both domestic and European Community (EC) legislation in the food safety, consumer protection and animal health and welfare areas. This paper addresses these latter issues.

In the last 3 years or so the incidence of BSE has led the government to enact several measures to protect both animal and public health. The measures taken and regular publication of information on the disease and research undertaken, has helped restore public confidence in animal products. Increased record keeping and for example, bans on the feeding of ruminant derived protein to ruminants have been designed to eliminate the disease but costs have been borne by the industy. Increased incidence of Salmonella also resulted in much new legislation to which changes have been made as new evidence has emerged. The poultry industry has nevertheless faced new burdens as a result of measures to tackle the disease and restore consumer confidence in poultry products.

In the context of the completion of the EC single market the coverage of harmonized trade rules, many of which have existed since 1964, is being widened and rules for domestic and intra-Community trade are being aligned. However, the EC will continue to face the challenge of preventing the spread of disease without frontier controls. This has led so far to new measures, including surveillance arrangements for certain diseases and also to the organization of a disease control infrastructure.

The government has given high priority to the promotion of high animal welfare standards. There is also heightened public interest in this issue and legislation has been enacted to phase out certain types of farming systems and require prescribed standards in the handling of livestock. Other initiatives are now on the EC agenda including, for example, the proposed battery hens directive and further rules on the transport of animals.

Other issues discussed in the paper are the implications of the Food Safety Act 1990, EC measures on fresh meat hygiene and their enforcement and general food hygiene rules. There has also been much public consultation on the labelling of food. All of these measures have, or could have, significant implications for the livestock sector and these the paper will address.