Illegal Meat Floods UK High Streets Amid Post-Brexit Border Check Failures

Efforts to prevent potentially disease-ridden meat from entering the UK are being undermined by post-Brexit border checks, according to a senior health official.

Lucy Manzano, head of the Dover Port Health Authority, has raised concerns that illegal meat, which has bypassed proper health checks, is now available on “most high streets” across the country.

Recent outbreaks of deadly animal diseases in Europe have heightened fears among health authorities, Whitehall officials, and the farming industry about the potential threat to the UK. Despite these concerns, the government maintains that the current system of checks is effective and insists it will never “waver in its duty to support the UK’s biosecurity.”

Under the post-Brexit system, commercial vehicle checks are not conducted at Dover itself. Instead, drivers are required to travel 22 miles (35km) to a border control post at Sevington. Critics argue that many lorries are failing to show up for these checks due to a lack of enforcement.

The Environment Select Committee in Parliament has launched an inquiry to assess the effectiveness of the system. Ms Manzano told MPs that the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has been overstating the robustness of the controls in place. She stated, “Defra have continually stated that there are robust controls in place. There are not. They don’t exist.”

Ms Manzano added that Defra has not provided any confirmation of how food would be controlled from the point it arrives to the inspection facility 22 miles away. She presented evidence to the government demonstrating that the system intended to safeguard the country from biosecurity threats is failing.

Defra recently refused to answer a Freedom of Information request from the BBC’s Countryfile programme, which sought data on the number of vehicles failing to turn up for checks at Sevington. The department claimed that releasing such information could inadvertently aid criminals looking for weak points in the UK’s border controls.

Ms Manzano claimed that illegal meat has become more commonplace in high street shops, making it increasingly difficult for consumers to identify whether the products they are purchasing have undergone proper health checks.

Despite these allegations, Defra maintains that the post-Brexit checks are functioning as intended. Earlier this week, figures revealed that nearly 100 tonnes of illegal meat were seized at the Port of Dover last year. Defra reiterated its stance, stating, “It is unequivocal that importing illegal meat products is unacceptable – which is why suspected products are routinely checked at the border to ensure they don’t reach our shores.”

Original story: BBC News

Innovative Meat Flake Idea Wins Top Prize in Meat Industry Competition

An innovative idea for transforming mechanically deboned meat into a meat flake for seasoning has won the top prize in the Meat Industry Association’s first-ever Dragon’s Den competition.

Renyu Zhang, a senior scientist with AgResearch, was named the winner of the inaugural contest, which challenged New Zealanders to develop groundbreaking ideas to advance the country’s red meat processing industry.

Zhang’s “umamification” plan involves a novel process to transform lower-value mechanically deboned meat into a meat flake with high umami (savoury flavour). This product would be stable at room temperature and could be used as a protein enhancer and snack food.

Out of 42 entries, Zhang emerged victorious, beating four other finalists to secure a prize of up to $10,000 to develop a business case and progress the idea into a research project.

Sirma Karapeeva, chief executive of the Meat Industry Association, praised the high calibre of entries, noting that selecting the five finalists and the ultimate winner was challenging. She highlighted the competition’s aim to recognise transformative ideas and provide resources to bring them to life, aligning with the Government’s goal of doubling export value.

Karapeeva said Zhang’s idea stood out for its innovative process and the potential for global industry interest. Zhang expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to take his project to the next stage, saying, “I’m honoured to win this inaugural Dragon’s Den event, and grateful to MIA for this opportunity.”

Original story: NZ Herald

The Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS), has initiated legal proceedings against the Food Standards Agency (FSA) over the charges imposed on the meat industry.

Peter Hewson, Veterinary Director at AIMS, explained the rationale behind this decision: “Firstly, the FSA’s focus on discussing the meat charges as a ‘subsidy’ rather than addressing the root causes of the excessively high charges. Secondly, the significant increase in charges set to be introduced from April 2025, which will see an 11% rise for the industry overall and a 25% increase for medium-sized abattoirs.”

Legal counsel has advised that the challenge should address three key issues:

• Unlawful Cost Inclusion: The FSA has included costs in its calculation of the new hourly rates of £65.90 for an Official Veterinarian (OV) and £43.20 for a Meat Hygiene Inspector (MHI) that cannot lawfully be included.
• Transparency Issues: It is unclear which elements of the charges are “costs connected with” official controls, rather than the chargeable costs of exercising the official controls themselves, which fails to meet the requirement for high transparency.
• Excessive Enforcement Charges: Charges for enforcement activities exceed the recovery of expenses allowed by the Regulations.

“Our letter asks the FSA to strip out all costs from its hourly rates that cannot be lawfully charged, and we urge them to re-evaluate their calculations,” Hewson concluded.

This legal action marks a significant step in addressing the financial pressures faced by the meat industry due to regulatory charges.

Original story: Reuters

Abattoir Staff Fired After Alleged Animal Abuse Footage Surfaces

Several staff members at a slaughterhouse in Arley, Warwickshire, have been dismissed following the release of footage online that allegedly shows sheep being manhandled. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has launched an investigation into the incident at the T&S Abattoir.

Nuneaton MP Jodie Gosling raised the issue in the House of Commons on Thursday, expressing horror at the video posted on YouTube by animal rights activist Joey Carbstrong. The 21-minute video reportedly depicts sheep being transported from a van into a gated area in the abattoir and shows hours of abusive behaviour at the facility in her constituency.

In response, T&S Abattoir management stated they were “shocked and disgusted” by the footage involving three employees and had “immediately” terminated their contracts.

Speaking in Parliament, Gosling highlighted the outrage felt by many over the failure of regulatory systems to detect and address the repeated breaches at the site. She called on the leader of the House to work with her to understand why it took an activist to bring these issues to light, while her constituents and the animals continued to suffer.

Responding to Gosling, the Leader of the Commons, Lucy Powell, said the FSA was taking action. “The FSA have already taken some action but if they’ve not taken sufficient action I will ensure that they do,” she said.

A spokesperson for the FSA confirmed that several people had been suspended from handling live animals and that the agency had “increased on-site presence during all slaughter operations whilst we look into these allegations further.” They added, “We will not hesitate to take more action as we have a zero-tolerance approach to animal welfare breaches.”

Original story: BBC News