Abattoirs could see their bills slashed by millions of pounds a
year under Foods Standards
Agency plans to shake up meat hygiene regulations.
The FSA's Scottish director, Professor Charles Milne, said the
agency would set out proposals in its upcoming strategic plan to
abolish rules forcing every carcass that passes through an abattoir
to be inspected.
The plans are part of an attempt to modernise the system and
make it "fit for purpose" in the 21st Century, Prof Milne said.
Negotiations with other countries and the European Commission to
create a more proportionate and targeted risk-based system were
already under way, he added.
A major shake-up of the scale envisaged by the FSA could save
millions of pounds every year by reducing costs in abattoirs which
are subsequently passed on to farmers.
Prof Milne said meat was treated differently from other foods in
the current hygiene legislation and he wanted to see that
change.
"We need to look at the value of someone standing on a line
watching what's going on, cutting into lymph nodes and stamping
carcasses," he said. "We want to see controls around meat more in
line with other foods and more targeted at the challenges of the
future which include E coli and Campylobacter."
However Prof Milne said the FSA recognised that consumer
confidence and public safety were paramount and it would carry out
scientific research to produce an evidence base and support the
mood for change.
"We are already working closely with like-minded states like
Sweden, The Netherlands, Denmark and France and trying to influence
current and forthcoming presidencies and newly elected MEPs," he
added. "We are also talking to the Europe-wide body of meat
processors.
"There is a real ambition in the FSA to achieve better processes
but it takes time. We've been proactive and will push this as fast
as we can but we have to gather evidence and allies."
He added that there was little opportunity in the current system
to reward operators who do a good job and he wanted a system which
would incentivise them by rewarding them with fewer inspections.
Resources could then be targeted at problem abattoirs.
