Farming: Meat inspection cost row 'boiling over'

The wrangle over meat inspection charges between the Scottish red meat processing sector and the Food Standards Agency continued yesterday with the processors providing a stinging response to an FSA consultation on the issue.

Ian Anderson, the executive manager of the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers, described the proposal that all inspection costs should fall on the processing sector as completely ignoring the current levels of inefficiency and profligacy that goes with them.

"The current controls are neither risk-based nor proportionate. They are grossly over-expensive," he said.

The processors underlined that they were 100 per cent committed to delivering safe food to consumers and accepted all the standards and regulations connected with such a commitment.

SAMW maintained they did not even have a problem with the actual concept of them picking up the full cost of the inspection but their sticking point is this should only apply to a "properly run, efficient and properly resourced service delivered at a fair cost to industry".

According to the meat wholesalers, the problem lies with the FSA as a monopoly public sector provider of services. "Therein lies the problem, with no competition or stimulus to be better. In effect the FSA can provide the service that suits them at whatever price they choose."

Although the FSA has promised to improve inspection efficiency and reduce the bill by 5 million over the next four years, the meat processors still feel that a 50m inspection charge - double the fees they are paying at present - will ruin many businesses.

SAMW has the support of the Scottish Beef Cattle Association, who fear the issue might affect Scotch beef production.

Brian Simpson, SBCA's development executive, pointed out the importance of red meat in the Scottish economy and the damage that could be caused by introducing hefty inspection costs.

"SBCA firmly believes that there is still significant slack in the system and that this current consultation is premature," he said. "Further progress in cutting costs and reorganising is essential before we look at how remaining costs are shared by industry."

Simpson added that no other food sector was subjected to such charges even although the FSA was to a large extent implementing EU legislation.