NFU Warn Farmers Over Dirty Livestock
UK - The NFU has teamed up with the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) to try and avoid potential disputes over dirty livestock.
1 October 2008
1 minute read
Producers and processors are being urged to ensure they re-familiarise themselves with the ‘Clean Livestock Policy’, in particular the categories for defining the levels of soiling, so that these benchmarks can be applied openly and fairly.
The Clean Livestock Policy is a transparent means for everyone involved in the chain to understand what level of soiling the authorities find acceptable for animals presented for slaughter.
NFU livestock board chairman Alistair Mackintosh said: “Keeping animals clean is even more of a challenge this year given the poor weather we have had. The availability and cost of straw this winter will make it even more difficult for producers to present animals to the cleanest possible standard.
“Processors will need to be mindful of the difficulties involved but we also need to make sure we do our bit in the interests of food hygiene and avoiding extra costs.”
Philip Hambling, Food Policy Manager from the BMPA added: “Processors accept that some soiling is inevitable and are sympathetic to the problems faced by producers in wet weather. We have systems in place to minimise problems on the line.”
“As food business operators, farmers and processors need to mitigate these risks and wet or dirty animals can represent a processing cost that neither producers nor operators want to bear.”
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