National Dairy Farm Assured Scheme to be extended to include beef calves

Arrangements are being put into place to allow the assurance of beef from dairy farms from the New Year as part of the National Dairy Farm Assured Scheme.

Assured Food Standards, NDFAS and Assured British Meats have announced that agreement has been reached on extending the scope of the NDFAS to allow it to assure beef from calves up to 100 days of age and older cattle more than two-and-a-half years of age.

The deal will require a small number of changes to NDFAS standards, but will mean that farmers will be assured for both meat and dairy produce with a single inspection.

A transitional arrangement is being implemented that will allow currently assured farms, not due their next inspection in the near future, to apply for their OTM cattle to be sold as assured with immediate effect.

Farmers will have to make an application with appropriate supporting documentary evidence to demonstrate compliance with the new elements of the NDFAS standards.

Milk buyers are expected to circulate details of the new arrangements to all producers in the coming weeks.