SAMW warns of EU beef labelling cost
9 June 2000
SAMW warns of EU beef labelling cost
By Alastair Driver and Shelley Wright
PROPOSED EU beef labelling rules could cost the British meat and livestock industry as much as 50 an animal, it is claimed.
This sum would be lost in lost efficiency, according to the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW).
The EU agriculture council wants all beef to include on its label the type of animal from which the meat has come.
This will require heifers, steers and bulls to be kept separate through the slaughter and meat processing chain.
A survey of SAMWs members quantified the costs, which ranged from 10 to 50 an animal, of the proposed legislation.
Jim Walker, president of the Scottish NFU, criticised UK farm minister Nick Brown for failing to oppose the plans when they were discussed at EU ministers meetings.
He ministers were “crass and indifferent to the needs of beef producers”.
Representatives spanning the UK beef supply chain pleaded with MEPs this week to help prevent the proposal being made into law.
NFU deputy president Tim Bennett said the proposal was absurd and will impose “huge costs and will offer no further safeguards to consumers”.
The proposal would be part of new labelling legislation, which will require the country of origin to be displayed. The EU Commission wants in place by 1 September.
Although the final decision will be made by the EU agriculture council, the UK delegation was hoping to persuade MEPs to amend the proposal.
MEPs have already thrown out the additional labelling demand once, only for it to be reintroduced by the agriculture council.
If the parliament rejects the proposal again this will put pressure on EU agriculture ministers to follow suit.
The National Beef Association said it has warned the agriculture council that if it does not back the parliament, all EU cattle slaughterers will be hit with an extra 8p/kg (DW) on the cost of processing and packaging a beef animal.
The extra cost, equating to 25 a head, will be passed back to farmers, it claimed. The rule will also make beef from “young bulls” harder to sell, it said.