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STOP PRESS - STOP PRESS 23rd MAY 2006
AI LATEST
DEFRA MEETING WITH RACING PIGEON UNIONS 23RD MAY
Representatives of the NWHU, NEHU, WHPU and the RPRA attended a meeting with DEFRA at Page Street, London today. In a two and a half hour meeting, that was very frank at times, we presented our case to permit continental racing. DEFRA opened the meeting by stating their concerns about the ‘uncertainties’ of the threat of AI by returning racing pigeons from the continent. We replied with the reason and rationale of why we felt it was time to allow us to resume racing from overseas.
We were told that the policy team would need to go away and consider what we had said which included the financial implications for pigeon racing should it not go ahead, and the ultimate sacrifice that some fanciers faced for their pigeons. We were advised that any such decision was likely to take about 2 weeks as the DEFRA team we met would have to make recommendations to a senior policy team who in turn would have to make a recommendation to the Secretary of State.
I can only say that at this juncture that there remains a 50/50 chance of continental racing and that is unlikely to start before, probably, mid June. Watch this space for further updates and news.
Peter Bryant
General Manager