Food labelling leads to confusion

CONSUMERS ARE sick and tired of the confusion created by EU food labelling regulations, claims NFU vice president Meurig Raymond.

He told Carmarthenshire branch members that current rules caused nothing but uncertainty.

“It is disgraceful that if a product is packaged in the UK, but produced overseas, the packaging can be covered with labels and flags that make it appear British,” Mr Raymond insisted.

“If it says Welsh or British on the label then that is what it should be, not just one small part of the production process having taken place here.”

Over 40% of consumers recognised the Little Red Tractor and this should be a key part of promoting British food, though legislative changes were needed.

Acknowledging that he was in a county where most farmers in his audience were milk producers, he made a scathing attack on dairy processors and retailers.

He told them that liquid milk was a premium product and it was high time they stopped buying and selling it at commodity prices.

“Unless there are signs that the supply chain will pay a price that covers the cost of milk production, and allows farmers to invest to maintain efficient production systems, the current trickle of farmers leaving the industry will become a flood following the decoupling of the Dairy Premium on March 31.”