The Minister for Agriculture has announced full details of the cattle testing and destruction scheme to apply from January 8 in order to restore confidence in the beef sector.
Arrangements for testing of cattle over 30 months for BSE have been finalised at all plants under the Department's control. Minister Joe Walsh has agreed to prop up the purchase price for the Cattle Destruction Scheme by five per cent, bringing the base price up to 90p per pound.
However, he denied speculation that factories will not have the capacity to cope with destruction or testing.