We would be interested in joining a research group assessing the methodological framework related with the control of non-regulated pig and cattle diseases. The main input by us would be to provide country-specific information of Finnish control programs of non-regulated diseases and Bayesian expertise to modelling/comparison problems of different control programs.
Finland regulates for instance TGE in pigs and Brucellosis in cattle that are not regulated on the EU-level. Finland would be an excellent example of a country that has a generally low import risk of animal diseases due to geographic isolation and a very low magnitude of live animal imports. Our production structure is developing, farms are sparsely located and the average farm size is clearly lower than in central Europe.
We also have a strong voluntary animal disease association that defines specific risk management rules against invading animal diseases.
Contact person: Tapani Lyytikäinen, head of animal disease and plant health section, Risk assessment research unit, Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira, Mustialankatu 3, 00790 Helsinki Finland, email: tapani.lyytikainen@evira.fi, tel: +358400614380.