SCOTLAND has achieved the lowest risk level status available for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).
Notification of the classification upgrade to negligible risk status was confirmed by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) in Paris.
The OIE has recognised that the official BSE risk status of both Scotland and Northern Ireland is at the safest level, a move expected to help open international market access for beef exports. England and Wales continue to be recognised as having controlled risk BSE status.