VANS 4 BUTCHERS

No sooner having been installed, new Federation president Neil Curtis wrote to new secretary of state, David Miliband, to express concern about the effect the lifting of the beef export ban was having on butchers. In his letter he said that many were finding it difficult to cope with the requirements over the removal of vertebral column from animals aged between 24 and 30 months.

Neil went on to say; “Naturally, we have fully supported the lifting of the ban and understand the need to now comply with EU requirements but the way that this is being implemented in many instances appears not to be acknowledging the risk assessment and proportionality issues involved.

At a meeting held on 5th May between the industry and your own officials it was acknowledged that the risk posed by 24 – 30 month vertebral column is minimal and the European Food Standards Agency itself accepts that “this is a compromise not underpinned by the scientific position.” There are no competition elements for the EU in butchers removing the vertebral column as this encompasses purely domestic sales. Likewise butchers have safely been removing the vertebral column from animals aged up to 30 months since the chief medical officer seven years ago, declared beef on the bone from British animals up to that age to be safe.

Until December 2005, the majority of butchers were required to be licensed by the local authority and to have HACCP policies and enhanced training in place. We are therefore finding it difficult to understand why some local authorities are taking a very assertive stance on the requirement to be approved whilst others are taking a pragmatic and realistic view. It seems that the guidance pack issued by the Food Standards Agency is too complicated and needs a degree of simplification.

The loss of the ability to sell a T bone steak is a blow but more to the point is the fact that wholesalers are not allowed to do some cutting of the meat prior to delivery to butchers has changed the market. There is also difficulty for some butchers in disposing of the vertebral column as category 1 waste once stained, never mind the impracticality of the staining process in a retail outlet.

Members are now telling us that the situation has created a two tier market and indeed, some are finding it difficult to obtain over 24 month beef with or without the vertebral column.

This is having a devastating effect, not just on the livelihoods of traditional butchers, but on farmers who specialise in slow maturing and rare breeds, wholesalers who supply butchers and small slaughterhouses without a cutting plant attached, for no apparent reasons of consumer risk, but with the effect of a reduction in consumer choice.

There is an acknowledgement that it could be less than a year before the EU takes a decision to raise the threshold to 30 months (or over) in any case.
In the meantime therefore, we ask you to do whatever is possible to provide a flexible and proportionate interpretation of the EU legislation and we would be happy to meet to discuss the matter further if you feel this would be helpful.”

June 2006 - Source: NFMFT