New food chain rules apply to beef and sheep (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

New food chain rules apply to beef and sheep

12:28pm Friday 22nd January 2010

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

BEEF and sheep producers have been urged to make sure they comply with the Food Chain Information rules which were introduced on January 1.

The legislation covers all cattle, sheep and goats going for human consumption and requires the producer to have a good level of knowledge regarding their animals.

Liz Ford, Eblex regional project manager, said: “This is particularly relevant for store finishers where the animals in question have been in the ownership or care of the producer for only a relatively short period of time before slaughter.”

She warned that if FCI was not provided, the official vet might allow the animal to be slaughtered, but the carcase could not be approved for human consumption until that information was received.

Producers who fail to do so will not only disrupt the normal operation of the abattoir, but could result in condemnation of the carcase without payment to the producer.

Eblex says FCI should ideally be provided before animals arrived at the abattoir. However, if animals were obtained at a livestock market it would be acceptable for FCI to be supplied on arrival.

The Food Standards Agency has set out the minimum level of FCI that producers should provide. However, the abattoir itself must decide on the exact detail required and the format this should take.

The slaughterhouse is also responsible for ensuring that the documentation is received, checked and acted upon.

Depending on the specific requirements, producers may find that they already provide sufficient information and do not need to do anything further.

The minimum FCI requirement comprises a simple form, which ascertains the details of the keeper and ID of the animals.

It also includes a number of declarations regarding disease, medication and movement restrictions.

Should any animal not meet the declarations on the base form, an additional form must be completed.

It has been agreed in England and Wales that the minimum FCI declarations will be incorporated onto the new Animal Movement Licence forms.

Producers may also find that market operators add an FCI declaration section to their market entry forms.

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)