Evira.fi

Monitoring of Colorado beetles important in storm-affected areas

Strong air currents may have carried Colorado beetles to almost anywhere in Finland, including the most important potato farming areas on the west coast and the entire region of Ostrobothnia. So far only one observation of Colorado beetles has been reported, on 2 August in Parikkala.

Meat export to Russia to continue from some plants

Russia's Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance, Rosselkhoznadzor, today informed the Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira that temporary restrictions will be lifted from three meat processing plants and one new plant will be licensed for meat export.

Genome of reindeer mouth disease virus has been sequenced

Reindeer mouth disease is caused by Parapoxvirus; it spreads easily and results in significant financial losses to reindeer husbandry. The disease occurs typically in winter. It causes painful lesions as well as loss of appetite, and also makes the animals susceptible to secondary bacterial infections. The disease can be fatal. Parapoxvirus was for the first time verified in Finnish reindeer during the outbreak of mouth disease in the winter of 1992–1993 and the disease has since then occurred evenly. The disease is a zoonosis, which means the virus can be transmitted to people who handle affected reindeer, and cause pustules on their skin.

Every other animal welfare inspection based on suspicion of violation resulted in action in 2009

Export restrictions on Finnish dairy products to Russia to be lifted as of 6 August

No observations of Colorado beetles in Finland so far

No salmonella found in last inspections of cattle farms

Evira has found pine wood nematodes in wooden packaging material originating from United States

Annual report 2009 on control of the food chain of Finland

Now is the time for monitoring and removal of wild oats