These reports are published by the Animal and Plant Health Agency on behalf of the Food Standards Agency.

They outline investigations on farms when food-producing animals have, or may have, been exposed to chemicals or botulinum toxin and which could then impact food safety.

These investigations take place to ensure that animal health and welfare is protected, and that risk management measures are in place to prevent chemical or botulinum toxin contamination of the food chain.

Previous reports are available on the archived versions of the AHVLA website on the National Archives website.

The Nuclear Provision covers the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority’s 17 historic nuclear sites across the UK. Some sites date back to the very earliest days of the industry in the 1940s.

Decommissioning work is carried out by Site Licence Companies (SLCs) on behalf of NDA.

We explain the background to the origins of the UK’s nuclear legacy and the issues with forecasting the cost of such a long-term mission.

These documents provide statistics on the number of cases of TSE disease found through the active and passive disease surveillance of cattle in the United Kingdom.

Cases of TSE disease identified in cattle from passive surveillance in United Kingdom have been recorded since 1986. The United Kingdom carried out limited active surveillance in cattle from 1999 to 2001. The European Union active surveillance programme started in July 2001.

European law requires all Member States to carry out active disease surveillance for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle. The testing programme includes:

• cattle over 48 months of age which die or are killed other than for human consumption (fallen cattle)
• cattle over 48 months of age which are emergency slaughtered or show certain abnormalities at ante-mortem inspection

These age thresholds apply to cattle born in the United Kingdom or in other EU member states except Bulgaria and Romania. For cattle born elsewhere the age thresholds are 24 months for fallen cattle or emergency slaughtered cattle, and 30 months for healthy fallen cattle.

Passive disease surveillance takes place when an animal with clinical signs suspicious of a TSE disease is reported to an Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) office, and further investigation determines whether the animal was affected by BSE or scrapie.

Feline spongiform encephalopathy (FSE)

FSE was first identified in the United Kingdom in 1990. Most cases have been reported in the United Kingdom, where the epidemic has been consistent with that of the BSE epidemic. Some other countries (e.g. Norway, Liechtenstein and France) have also reported cases. Most cases have been reported in domestic cats but there have also been cases in captive exotic cats (e.g. cheetah, lion, asian, leopard cat, ocelot, puma and tiger).

TSE in exotic ruminants

TSEs have been detected in exotic ruminants in zoos in the United Kingdom since 1986. These include antelopes, Ankole cattle and bison. The 1986 case in a Nyala antelope was diagnosed before the first case of BSE was identified.

The statistics show that the number of cases have declined since the late 1990s. This is due to the controls on animal feed and the disposal of specified risk material and animal by-products.

This document explains how the Environment Agency is working with Suez, operators of Path Head Landfill, Gateshead, to reduce odour coming from the site.