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TCCCUK & Defra Consultation.
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TCCCUK & DEFRA Consultation 2002 & 2004.
TCCCUK - My Consultation with DEFRA Department of Environment.Food.Rural Affairs.
After contacting the Prime Minister - Tony Blair in 2000, by letter, complaining of the lack of interest by the his Government
into the whole problem of Mycrobacterium Avium sub species Paratuburculosis (MAP) and Crohns Disease in Humans and
Johne's Disease in Animals, I was sent a Government Department File on all they knew on the MAP problem, within 2 days.
This then led to my campaign - The Chronic Crohns Campaign UK becoming involved in the Consultation process with this
Government department DEFRA , with another document called "Draft Guidance On Control Of Johne's Disease In Dairy
Herds" issued 1.June.2002 ,replies had to be back by 31.August.2002.My reply was 14.August.2002, a 6 point Reply : -
The Chronic Crohns Campaign UK reply : -
1. Policing The Farms. this matter is one of my main concerns, as it is now,cattle are only tested every 4 years for TB,
because of financial restrictions ,and there can be a lot of cattle movement in this time.
2. Collection Of Milk From Farms. It would only take one farm to not stick to the Guidelines, and the milk tanker, which may
have had a MAP free load until this farm, would then receive a load, which would contaminate the whole load.
3.Provision Of Funds For MAP. Providing funding is so important, to make sure that all milk producing farms have the correct
funding to help clear MAP, also the correct information and support.This cost must not fall on the farmer or taxpayers alone,
and I would point to the Dairy Council and those who have made MILLIONS out the farmers all these years, it is now time to
help. and tp put something back, to clear up this mess ! £54 Million from the E.C in grants to give milk to children at school,
knowing the risks to children's health, is I think a reason alone.
4.Turn Up The Heat. If all above fails, can the heat at pasteurisation be turned up,to destroy MAP. All I want is for the public to
be able to purchase a product that is safe to consume.I know 72 degrees for 25 seconds or even an Hour is not hot enough
to destroy MAP, which as stated, lives for a year ,in pastures and water supplies. Pasteurisation is the last line of defence
before the MAP enters the Human Food Chain, which I know if not done properly, causes Crohns Disease and other IBD
illnessses.The illness in cattle is too identical to that in humans to be anything else !
5.Prof.John Hermon Taylor . Please read his research ,as I have done,this is why I am helping to raise thousands for a DNA
Vaccine for September 2004.The research, simply, makes a lot of sense and it fits with what we all know about MAP, please
support his work, despite your feelings and biases, he really does hold the answers !
6.My Reason For Being Involved. I watched my wife, a healthy young mother nearly die, and she had so much terrible pain,it
hurt to watch and be able to do nothing! YOU would not wish this on any human being or animal. I am not a scientist, but I
am someone that cares, and I am prepared to take this to the nation, with now many others.My campaign has resulted in
many friendships being established across the Country, in all levels,and I have learnt of so much terrible suffering.All I can
say in Conclusion, "If you do not have Crohns or IBD now, it does not mean you will not in the future,as herds get more and
more contaminated, MAP gets stronger, as it will, your chance of illness becomes greater"...............Tim Page @TCCCUK.
Here we are in May 2004, almost 2 years later and DEFRA have now issued their 10 page Document "Draft Guidance On
Control Of Johne's Disease In Dairy Herds 2004, with a 10 Key Point Controlling Plan, being issued to All Dairy/Beef Farms
at the end of June 2004.
Defra 10 KEY POINT CONTROLLING PLAN 2004.
1 .Prepare a herd health and welfare plan with your veterinary surgeon that includes a programme for controlling Johne's
Disease.
2. Remove diseased cattle from the herd as early as possible.Do not bread from their offspring.
3. Consider with your veterinarysurgeon the desirability of screening your dairy herd for MAP to establish if infection is likely to
be present.Consider removing infected cattle prior to disease developing.
4 .Implement strict hygiene on the farm,particularly at calving.Wherever possible ,rear calves and young cattle away from adult
faecal contamination.
5 .Maintain a close herd,but if it is essential to buy in cattle, try to obtain stock from sources that can demonstrate they are
tested free from Johne's Disease.
6 .Delay the grazing of young cattle on slurried pasture as long as possible and if practical for atleast a year.
7. Ensure wherever possible that all calves only receive colostrum from their own damn.Do not feed pooled colostrum.
8. As a rule, do not feed calves discarded milk unless it has been heated to boiling point.
9. Wherever possible, provide mains water and fence off rivers and other water sources.
10.Avoid co-grazing or sequential grazing with other livestock that can carry MAP.
The Chronic Crohns Campaign UK reply : -
Thankyou for sending me the above draft,of which I have read with great interest, following the previous draft of August 2002.
Thankyou for including The Chronic Crohns Campaign UK in this process, for which I am extremely grateful, and for which I
have been trying to draw the MAP problem to the attention of the Government for many years, after discovering this link, after
studying the much under valued work of Prof. John Hermon - Taylor at St Georges Hospital ,Tooting, London.
When this document is issued to the Dairy Farmers towards the end of June, I would hope that the Government is funding
DEFRA to make sure these guidelines are actually carried out.I personally would point to the Dairy Council and those that
have made vast fortunes out of the Farmers who supply milkto the Industry to actually pay most of this "clean up".It would
be unfair on the Farmers to incure the cost, as they make very little money on "a pint of milk".The supermarkets and
Industry are those who I feelshould pick up this "clean up cost".If the pressure is put on Farmers, it will drive them out of
buisiness,and then we would end up with more foreign ,imported milk,dairy products,without our strict controls.
If this "Guidance" is not carried out properly, the MAP problem will only get worse and take hold in a lot more species of
animals, as has done in america.There can be 5 farmers carrying out these guidelines, and the 6 farmer desides to " cut
corners", and the tanker collecting the milk from the farms can then have it's whole load contaminated, by one farmer.
Proper Higher pasteurisation Temperature needs to be done, to that of 80 degrees, which is the known temperature that
destroys this MAP Bacteria, and NOT left at 72 degrees for 21 seconds as now,an increase in temperature and time needs
to be undertaken.THIS WILL BE THE LAST LINE OF DEFENCE,BEFORE GOING INTO THE HUMAN FOOD CHAIN.
My reasons to make sure these guidances are carried out,will be also to make sure the NHS - National Health Service
properly records any outbreak of Crohns or other IBD,each seperately.This would show up the areas Failing to carry out
proper "clean up" measures.My campaign also continues to raise the final £200.000 needed to complete the DNA Crohns
Vaccine at St Georges Hospital, London, and to those now suffering this horrendous illness.......... Tim Page @ TCCCUK.
The Chronic Crohns Campaign UK.
http://www.communigate.co.uk/sussex/thechroniccrohnscampaignuk/
http://beehive.courier.co.uk/thechroniccrohnscampaignuk
14/04/06
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