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FSA to take over Dairy hygiene inspections
Inspection role taken over from AHVLA

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has announced that it will be taking over the role of dairy hygiene inspection on farms in England and Wales from the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA). Dairy establishments in Scotland and Northern Ireland will continue to be delivered by local authorities and, in the case of Northern Ireland, the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development.

As part of the implementation plan agreed between the two organisations, FSA inspectors will be undertaking classroom training and shadowing current dairy hygiene inspectors from AHVLA. The intensive training will be implemented over a four week period to be ready for the change from 1st April 2012. AHVLA has agreed to continue some inspection visits throughout April and May to ensure a smooth transition over to the FSA.

This change to dairy hygiene inspections follows the FSA’s announcement in July 2011 that it was reducing the frequency of official hygiene inspections on dairy farms in England, Wales and Northern Ireland to make the system more proportionate to the food safety risks.

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Voting opens for BEVA Council

News Story 1
 Eligible members of BEVA will be able to vote for their Council team until Monday, 17 August 2026. Members will have received an election email on 17 July.

There are five candidates standing for four available places on Council. They are:

  • Alexandre Triguino
  • Angela Jones
  • Beth Bryant
  • Holly Rees
  • Hugh Somerville
Full profiles for each candidate can be found on the BEVA website

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Government releases latest bluetongue statistics

APHA has confirmed the number of bluetongue cases that have been logged in the UK since 1 July 2026.

The total number of BTV-3 cases, as of 6 August, is 187. This includes 183 cases in England and four cases in Wales.

There have been no recorded cases in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The location of premises in Great Britain where at least one animal has tested positive by PCR for BTV-3, BTV-8 or BTV-12 is available on the bluetongue case map. All livestock keepers in Great Britain are urged to familiarise themselves with nation-specific bluetongue control policies.

Bluetongue virus is a notifiable disease. It is a legal requirement that any suspicions, even if livestock has been vaccinated, are reported immediately.