The role of animal health and food safety is increasing worldwide and veterinarians must face new challenges within the field of disease control, and so, as has always been the case, there is still a huge demand for their knowledge today, Minister of State Róbert Zsigó said in his speech to first year veterinary students at the ceremony to mark the beginning of the academic year at the St. Stephen’s University Faculty of Veterinary Science in Budapest.
In addition to the new undergraduates, the Ministry of Agriculture’s Minister of State for Food Chain Supervision also addressed students from higher years and masters’ students, and veterinarians who received certificates to mark many years of service. It is also thanks to their professional standing and knowledge that being a vet is still regarded as a respected profession in Hungary today, he declared.
At the ceremony, Mr. Zsigó stressed that the St. Stephen’s University of Veterinary Science was one of European oldest, played a definitive role both at home and internationally and, unique in Europe, offered veterinary training in several languages: Hungarian, English and German. The Minister of State pointed out that the animal health service had been supervising the heath of farm animals and the safety of foodstuffs in Hungary since 1888. We can be proud of the fact that the network established at that time in history has been performing its duties relentlessly for 126 years, he said, adding that the authority today plays a hugely important role in guaranteeing healthy foods to consumers.
The role of animal health and food safety is increasing throughout the world and accordingly there is a huge need for the knowledge of veterinarians, the Minister of State said, stressing that vets must also face new challenges within the fields of epidemiology and disease control. They must work to keep hitherto unknown pathogens in check, including some that were previously regarded as exotic, but which have unfortunately now also entered the territory of the European Union and which may directly and indirectly give rise to significant economic damage. This is what makes the work of the authority both difficult and beautiful: it is forever changing and must forever face and overcome. new challenges, Mr. Zsigó concluded.
(Ministry of Agriculture Press Office)
