Ease BSE regulations, says meat processing industry

MEAT processors have called for some of the regulations introduced following the BSE outbreak 14 years ago to be eased.

Speaking at the annual meeting in Edinburgh at the weekend, Alan Craig, president of the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW), said his members wanted the controls to be commensurate with the level of tangible risk, while also taking into account public confidence.

The problem for the meat wholesalers is that part of the inspection charges in the abattoirs have, up until the present, been picked up by the Food Standards Agency but now that body is trying to pass all the costs on to the industry.

Craig said that the industry is "staring down the barrel and seeing three-figure percentage increases in inspection costs".

In laying out a few ground rules, Craig said there had to be an understanding that it was "nave" to expect the major retailers to pick up any increased cost following any change in the charging regime.

Equally, any proposal should not be built on the premise that removing inefficiency from the processing line would help offset any increased charges.

As president of SAMW – whose members employ more than 3,000 people and whose annual turnover exceeds 750 million – Craig also said the industry fears of any further reduction in the numbers of sheep and cattle kept in Scotland.

His members are fearful that any moves to shift support payments on to an acreage basis under the EU Common Agricultural Policy will allow livestock farmers to stop production.

They want to see a direct subsidy payment of 150 per beef calf born as an incentive to producers to keep in the business. Only this level of cash going direct to the producer will stem the exodus from beef production.