MEP hits out at agriculture committee's bananas slip-up

SCOTTISH MEP Alyn Smith, emerged this week from the European Parliament's powerful agriculture committee, to express disappointment on the vote over "wonky" or misshapen fruit.

Smith said it did not make sense for the committee to have brought the issue of straight bananas back on to its agenda after the European Commission effectively swept it away last year.

Making matters worse, he said the committee had missed an opportunity to push the case for mandatory "place of origin" labelling.

Instead, he said "the big groups" came up with a "lowest common denominator" formula, which he described as deeply unsatisfying and also one that would fail to inform consumers.

Although dismissed by the agricultural committee, he hoped the issue would be picked up elsewhere in Brussels.

He said: "I certainly hope the Food Information for Consumers legislation does a better job in this area. I also found worrying the committee's bias against private certification schemes and private, voluntary marketing standards.

"Though, of course, these must not conflict with mandatory standards, I feel that anything stakeholders can do to improve consumer information should be encouraged."

It was not all doom and gloom as Smith reckoned there were some positive aspects to the committee decision. The vote guaranteed the Protected Designated Origin (PDO) and Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) regimes, and there was a firm statement that quality schemes should be kept separate from trademarks.

But overall, Smith described the committee vote as "a big step backwards, not forwards".

• Moredun Research Institute in Edinburgh has been awarded grants totalling 1 million to investigate two of the most damaging livestock diseases.

Parasitic worms are a major cause of production loss among sheep and goats in sub-tropical regions of India and Africa and malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) is a fatal viral disease of cattle in Africa.

Researchers from Moredun will work in partnership with scientists in Bristol, Canada, India and South Africa to develop new ways for farmers to control parasitic worms in their animals and, therefore, safeguard their food security.

The Institute is recognised as one of the top ten animal research centres worldwide.

Professor Julie Fitzpatrick, scientific director at the institute, welcomed the awards.

She said: "Moredun is delighted to have the opportunity to work with partners in overseas institutes in order to help develop practical and sustainable solutions to the challenges posed by livestock diseases in developing countries."

The second project involves the testing of a vaccine for MCF, which is a major concern to tribal Masai farmers in Africa who rely on cattle for their economic and social welfare.

MCF is a viral disease affecting many cloven hoofed animals.

Working with partners in Glasgow, Nottingham and Tanzania, Moredun researchers will test a potential MCF vaccine they have helped develop under field conditions in Tanzania, east Africa.