Cattle vaccination program starting. Export cattle ready in 3 more years.

Cattle exporting program ready in 3 more years. Vaccination nationwide of cattle now in progress.
Taken from a post on the Belize Culture Listseerve

August 17, 2011 By Belizean aka Manolo Romero:

Belize Cattle Roundup

The Government of Belize in collaboration with the European Union has launched its National Cattle Sanitary plan project. The implementation of the National Cattle Sanitary Plan is to test all cattle in the country for Brucellosis, Tuberculosis and the surveillance plan for BSE or Mad Cow Disease.

In addition, a national livestock registry will be developed for the exportation of cattle to Mexico and other countries. The project aims to promote diversification of Belize’s export base through compliance with the (OIE) World Organization for Animal Health requirements for bovine, animal health and the requirements established by Mexico, for the export of live cattle under formal agreement between the two countries.

This project has been in the works for over two years since the initial discussions in 2008. Officials who provided technical assistance in developing the project document for this particular project to be a success are IICA, Belize Agriculture Health Authority, Belize Livestock Producers Association, Ministry of Agriculture, OIRSA and SAGARPA Mexico.

The three-year project will give an opportunity for cattle farmers to export live cattle to Mexico throughout the year starting in 2012. The testing of the cattle will take approximately 8 months to complete, however, follow up work continues until 2014.

The project, launched yesterday in official ceremonies at the ITVET Center in Corozal, is estimated at 4.4 million Euros or $12.2 million BZD of which the European Union is contributing 2.2 million Euros or $6.1 million Belize dollars.

Read more: http://belizean.com/news/belize-launches-12-2-million-cattle-sanitary-program/#ixzz1VJw2rXUd