In the UK, farmers and veterinarians have an excellent track record and measures are in place to ensure things stay that way. As part of that effort, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) operates two complementary surveillance programmes:

A statutory surveillance programme fulfils the UK’s obligations under Directive 96/23/EC. The Directive extended the statutory residues testing programme to poultry and aquaculture (salmon and trout) and changed the previous regime for red meat by requiring a higher number of samples to be taken on farms with a consequent reduction in sampling at slaughterhouses. Eggs, wild and farmed game, milk and honey came fully within the ambit of the statutory scheme from 1999.

Following the setting up of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in 2000, a Veterinary Residues Committee was established, its twelve members being independent of government.

The Veterinary Residues Committee’s Report for 2005 concluded that the UK authorised uses of Veterinary Medicinal Products do not result in residues of human health concern and that a high level of compliance with the safe use of such medicines continues to be achieved.

Follow-up action is taken by the State Veterinary Service on every sample which on confirmatory analysis shows the presence of unauthorised substances or concentrations of authorised substances above the MRL. A thorough on-farm investigation is undertaken by a Veterinary Officer (VO) of the SVS who may be accompanied by an Investigation Officer (IO) of DEFRA’s legal department. This investigation will involve an inspection of farm records and stock and the taking of further samples from suspect animals. If clear evidence of abuse is found, the farmer will be prosecuted.

In cases where concentrations of authorised substances are found above the MRL, the SVS will give the farmer, in consultation with his veterinary surgeon, the fullest possible advice on how to ensure that residues do not enter the food chain. Where a follow-up visit indicates serious shortcomings or deliberate misuse of an animal medicine, the farmer will be prosecuted.

Summary results of the residues surveillance programmes are published quarterly in the VMD’s MAVIS newsletter, and detailed results are reported to the European Commission and are published annually, until 2000 by the VMD, and from 2001 by the Veterinary Residues Committee. More details are on the NOAH website.