In its response to the Farming Regulation Task Force report on ways to reduce regulatory burden on farmers and food processors, the FSA confirmed its earlier rejection of recommendations to set up a group to consider the criteria for accepting meat inspection by third parties.
Despite the rejection, the FSA has called on the industry to “demonstrate the feasibility” of alternatives to the current method, which would require changes to EU legislation. EU law is responsible for prescribing meat inspections for its members, which are currently carried out by FSA in the UK.
Industry proposals
BMPA director, Stephen Rossides told Food manufacture.co.uk: “The recent board discussions have shown comparatively little interest in industry proposals. But I will take them at their word with their offer of support and advice.
“In one sense this is disappointing but on the other hand it is encouraging because the FSA is now willing to consider our suggestions for change.”
In a bid to reduce costs, the BMPA is developing a proposal for an alternative approach to the current method and is calling for the use of approved private sector accredited bodies to inspect well performing plants.
The FSA acknowledged that the current regime was “a bit last century” but expressed concerns of the viability of a changed system to fit in with EU legislation and not dilute the tight food safety controls currently being provided.
Modernised
A spokesman for the FSA told Food Manufacture.co.uk: “We accept that they need to be modernised but it is a case of who implements these changes.
“We are working hard in Europe to make the controls more agreeable so industry needs to come back with ideas on how this can be done”