Food safety group starts work

02 September 1997

Food safety group starts work

THE new joint food safety and standards group has started work as a precursor to
the Governments food standards agency. It brings together agriculture and
health officials.

The remit of the Governments proposed food standards agency will be debated
at a two-day conference on food safety which begins today at Church House,
Westminster, London.

Prime minister Tony Blair wants it to cover the food chain “from plough to
plate”. But ministers have yet to decide several controversial issues,
including whether the agency should take over responsibility for the safety of
pesticides and animal medicines.

Franz Fischler, European farm commissioner, will address the conference
tomorrow.