parliamentary reporter
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The pig farms will set up a monitoring system for flu viruses before the summer.
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The House of Representatives on Tuesday adopted a motion from the Party for the Animals and D66 that calls for this.
Until now, there is no system that detects potentially dangerous flu viruses for humans in pig farming. The last time such a virus was picked up, it came to light through a Belgian laboratory.
Pig farming a blind spot
During a hearing with experts in the field of flu viruses and diseases communicable from animals to humans, Ron Fouchier of Erasmus University, among others, argued for the introduction of a monitoring system. Molecular biologist Fouchier says that pig farming is currently a big blind spot in the Netherlands when it comes to flu viruses.
Minister Staghouwer has previously said that he is working on a monitoring system. The setup for such a monitoring system should be ready before the summer of this year.
bird flu
The House also calls on the government to investigate whether and how the bird flu virus has effects in wild species in nature. The parliament also asks for clear communication about what should be done with infected wild animals and who is responsible for this.
VVD member Thom van Campen and CDA member Derk Boswijk submitted a motion asking the government to consider the risks of zoonoses when developing new nature reserves. The motion received a large majority. A motion by Caroline van der Plas (BBB) to regulate by law that poultry farmers do not run the extra risk of contamination due to the construction of new nature, was rejected by the House.
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