WHOLESALERS who run Scotland's abattoirs have written to Richard Lochhead, the rural affairs minister, warning that increased monitoring costs threaten the meat processing industry.
Scotland boasts some of the best abattoir facilities in the world. However, their parent organisation – the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW) – is concerned at the prospect of a massive increase in inspection charges for the testing of
residues in carcases, which might pose a risk to human health.
The supervision of testing lies with the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD), which operates under European Commission rules. The VMD plans to impose a 5 per cent increase in charges next year, followed by a further 9 per cent rise in 2010 and similar rise in 2011.
And Allan Jess, the president of SAMW, feels that the views of his membership have been ignored.
In his letter to the minister, published yesterday, Jess pulled no punches. He wrote: "We responded promptly last year to a VMD consultation on its proposals to increase residue testing charges, identifying a number of concerns. Our views appear to have been substantially ignored by the VMD, which seems again intent on pursuing an overbearing surveillance programme which is out of step with its declared risk management policy."
Jess and his colleagues have no argument with the view that everything must be done to protect the population from any risks of eating beef, lamb and pork: memories of the damage that the BSE crisis of 1996 inflicted on the meat industry remain vivid, when beef prices crashed by as much as 30 per cent. A common-sense approach is essential, according to Jess, who made some salient points in his response to the VMD.
He said: "Since 2003, the number of residue testing samples has increased by around 8 per cent and the number at, or above (important] reference points has fallen by 20 per cent. This takes no account of risk.
"Two questions arise on residues of possible health concern. Four such residues were detected in the UK, but 24 were found in imported produce. Is this proportionate in relation to the total number of samples taken from home and imported produce?
"The second point relates to the four UK results: two were in farmed fish, one was in horse plasma and the fourth in cattle plasma. Was the cattle plasma a slaughterhouse sample? Even if it was, the risk from the red meat sector is disproportionate to the intensity of sampling."
Jess added that one SAMW member is paying about £50,000 annually and has had only two positives in ten years. SAMW has requested that any increases be suspended until the matter can be referred back to Brussels with a review of EU Directive 96/22.
Target three of that lengthy document states: "Our aim is to negotiate changes in the EU residues programme that is risk-based and reflects UK interests."
But the bottom line remains that if the VMD and Brussels do not accept the case of abattoir operators throughout the UK, then it will be farmers and, very possibly, consumers who will be faced with the additional costs.
The full article contains 527 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
