Meat wholesaler Macduff 1890 ceases operations

The family-owned, fourth-generation meat wholesale company Macduff 1890, under the leadership of Andrew Duff, the great-grandson of its founder, has ceased operations and closed.

Andrew Duff expressed his great disappointment that trading conditions had given him no other option,

He explained: “On Friday, March 15, Macduff 1890 ceased its operations, and it’s a decision made with deep sadness. I’ve personally contacted all our suppliers and customers to apprise them of the situation and to let them know that our doors are now closed.

“My personal passion has always been centred around championing rare and native breeds, and I earnestly hope that another firm within the meat industry will carry forward this passion.”

SAMW executive manager Scott Walker said: “It is very sad to see the closure of a long-established meat wholesale business. This is a reflection of the thin operating margins which the entire industry operates on and the challenging conditions the industry has faced in recent years.”

Kelly Henaughen | The Scottish Farmer

Post-Brexit controls on food and farm imports start

Post-Brexit controls on food, plant and animal imports to Britain from the EU have come into force.

Health certificates will now be required on EU goods ranging from cut flowers, to fresh produce including meat, fruit and vegetables.

Some industry bodies raised concerns the rules could cause delays and push up costs, but others said they would help UK farmers be more competitive.

The government said its border model would “minimise burdens for traders”.

The UK left the EU exactly four years ago, but it has taken some time for the government to implement new trade rules – legally required under the Brexit agreement – for goods travelling from the EU to the UK.

The implementation of the changes has been delayed five times, in part to give businesses time to prepare and to reduce disruption to supply chains. The new border checks will also be phased in over the next year, with physical checks starting from 30 April.

The physical checks down the line have prompted fears of disruption to business supply chains. For example, lorries carrying goods could be stopped at ports to ensure they have the correct documentation. Concerns remain that extra checks will see import costs for businesses rise, and in turn prices for consumers.

But from Wednesday, the main change is the introduction of “export health certificates” on imports of “medium risk” animal products, as well as plants and plant products imported to Britain from the EU. The trade rules cover goods ranging from cut flowers, to cheese, fish and meats.

Michael Race | BBC News

UK ends strict controls for beef and poultry from Brazil

The UK has lifted reinforced inspections on meat products from Brazil after analyzing the country’s control system.

The decision covers consignments of beef, poultry, and meat products and preparations exported from Brazil to England, Scotland, and Wales. It comes after an audit of Brazil’s sanitary and phytosanitary controls.

Following allegations of fraud in Brazil in 2017 during Operation Carne Fraca, measures were implemented for enhanced checks on certain imported animal products.

For beef and poultry meat products from Brazil, exports to Great Britain no longer need enhanced pre- and post-import testing for Salmonella or the added attestation attached to health certificates confirming Salmonella sampling, methods of analysis used, and results.

Post-import physical checks for poultry and beef products will be reduced from 100 percent physical and 20 percent microbiological sampling. Brazil can now re-list certain poultry and beef sites for export to Great Britain.

Auditors visited central and regional authorities, two certification centers, eight slaughterhouses, four other businesses, two farms, and four laboratories. The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Supply (MAPA) leads official controls and certification of exports of animals and animal products. The Department of Inspection of Animal Products (DIPOA) is responsible for managing the Brazilian Federal Inspection Service (SIF).

Brazilian authorities have made “significant” progress in correcting the systemic failings in the framework of controls and their application that led to enhanced Salmonella controls. According to Defra, changes to legislation and a restructuring of the authorities have strengthened the regulatory oversight of exports and clarified accountabilities.

By Joe Whitworth | Food Safety News

Shock following closure of Cumbrian abattoir

THE news that Black Brow abattoir near Wigton is closing has shocked producers and butchers.

The abattoir, which was taken over in 2004, is used by north Cumbrian farmers who rely on it for slaughtering their livestock.

Many farmers in the area market their meat from their animals direct to consumers, and for this to be possible, there needs to be a small abattoir within reach of their farms.

Up until now the abattoir, which has been run by local pig farmer, Maurice Wharton, has been running a four-day week, with around 12 workers, and a throughput of a few hundred livestock.

A spokesperson said the abattoir was used for slaughtering cattle, sheep, pigs and goats, but the challenges facing the pig industry currently, had impacted on the business.

A letter informing customers of the closure was sent out last month by Mr Wharton, the managing director, who was not available for comment.

National Farmers Union (NFU) Cumbrian council delegate and west Cumbrian farmer, Alistair Mackintosh said Black Brow was situated to service many of the local farmers and butchers and was fundamental to many operations maintaining their business.

“It is a shame and a blow that we are losing yet another small abattoir in this country. The aim is to have a vibrant rural community and it is handy to use a local facility that importantly cut down on local food miles.

“It is always hard on the farmers and butchers who use it and where do they go now?” said Mr Mackintosh, who is also vice-chair of Red Tractor Assurance.

“I believe the abattoir did a good trade with pigs originally, but now the pig industry is suffering many challenges, and this will have impacted economically on the abattoir.

By Maureen Hodges | News & Star

Sainsbury’s changes meat packaging again after previous switch

Sainsbury’s has made another change to its meat packaging, months after a move branded “disgusting” by customers.

The supermarket giant has announced it is removing plastic trays from its steak range, replacing them with a cardboard alternative.

The change, which will affect ten products across the range, will use 70% less plastic and will be in all stores and online from today.

The new trays can be recycled at home by rinsing the cardboard before placing it in a kerbside recycling bin.

Claire Hughes, Director of Product and Innovation at Sainsbury’s, said: “As part of our Plan for Better commitments, we are trying to reduce plastic packaging across our own brand ranges, as we know that reducing plastic is important to our customers but also on our environmental impact.

“It’s why we are always looking at ways to innovate our packaging and reduce or replace plastic wherever we can, as quickly as we can.

It comes after Sainsbury’s made a controversial change to their mince packaging in April, becoming the first supermarket to vacuum pack its beef, saving 450 tonnes of plastic a year.

By Joshua Searle | Swindon Advertiser

Eustice urges Government to learn lessons from Australia trade deal

Former Defra Secretary George Eustice has launched a blistering attack on former Prime Minister and International Trade Secretary Liz Truss over her handling of the Australian trade deal.

The deal included giving Australia or New Zealand full access to the UK market to the beef and sheep market, albeit phased in over 15 years. Yet Australia still bans the import of British beef and there was virtually nothing in return for UK farmers. The Government estimated the Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement, signed on 17 December 2021, would unlock £10.4bn of additional trade while ending tariffs on all UK exports to Australia.

While pork was not a part of the deal, with Australia not being significant exporters, the fear within the pig industry was that could set a dangerous precedent in future trade deals.

Mr Eustice, who was sacked by Mrs Truss when she became Prime Minister, told a Commons debate that it was a bad deal for the UK, especially its farmers, and stressed that lessons need to be learned as the UK negotiates future deals.

“Unless we recognise the failures that the Department for International Trade made during the Australia negotiations, we won’t be able to learn the lessons of future negotiations,” he said.

“The first step is to recognise that the Australia trade deal is not actually a very good deal for the UK.”

by Alistair Driver / Pig World

Requirement for ‘regular vet visits’ for EU exports or NI movements pushed back another year

Just confirmed today, the requirement for veterinary visits attestations for export certs pushed back another year to 13/12/23

Certification of ‘regular vet visits’ for EU exports or NI movements

Date issued: 16 November 2022

Purpose
To inform Official Veterinarians (OVs) and other veterinary certifiers that for export of Products of Animal Origin (POAO) to the EU, the EU requirement for farms of origin to have a regular veterinary visit can be certified as follows:
i. Until 13 December 2023, this EU requirement can continue to be certified based on a farmer declaration.

ii. After 13 December 2023, farmer declarations will no longer be accepted and this EU requirement must be certified based on other evidence such as membership of a recognised farm assurance scheme or via a valid veterinary declaration.
The relevant official Notes for Guidance will be updated in due course to reflect this 12-month extension to the previous temporary policy.

Background
1. The EU Animal Health Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/429) created a new
requirement for farms producing animals or products of animal origin or germinal
products for export to the EU (or movements to Northern Ireland under the conditions
of the Northern Ireland Protocol) to be subject to ‘regular’ veterinary visits.

This is implemented by Article 8(e) Delegated Regulation 2020/692.
“must receive regular animal health visits from a veterinarian for the purpose of the
detection of, and information on, signs indicative of the occurrence of diseases,
including those listed diseases referred to in Annex I relevant for the particular species
and category of animal, germinal product or product of animal origin and emerging diseases.

Such animal health visits shall take place at frequencies that are
proportionate to the risks posed by the establishment concerned.”

2. Official Veterinarians (OVs) have had to certify compliance with this new requirement
since 15 January 2022.

3. Farmers only need to comply with this requirement if they are providing relevant animals
or products for export to the EU or for movements to Northern Ireland.

4. The regular veterinary visit requirement can be certified if the farm of origin is a
member of a recognised assurance including Red Tractor, Welsh Beef and Lamb
Producers and/or Quality Meat Scotland. A list of qualifying farm assurance schemes
has been published and will be reviewed on a regular basis.

5. The regular veterinary visit requirement can also be certified on the basis of a valid
veterinary declaration. A template Establishment Veterinary Visitation Declaration for
this purpose can be found on APHA Vet Gateway (ET242).

6. Until 13 December 2023, for farms that are not part of a recognised farm assurance
scheme and are not able to provide a valid veterinary declaration, a farmer declaration
can instead continue to be used to support certification of the EU ‘regular veterinary visit’
requirement. This can be provided via the Food Chain Information (FCI) document.

7. Farmers must use the available time to choose either to exclude their animals or products
from EU export, join a recognised farm assurance scheme or obtain an appropriate
veterinary declaration.

8. Defra will work closely with Official Veterinarians, the Royal College of Veterinary
Surgeons, farmers, markets and exporters to facilitate, where required, provision of
veterinary declarations to certifying OVs. We will issue further guidance in due course.

Action
Official Veterinarians (OVs) and certifiers providing Support Health Attestations at abattoirs
should note the updated guidance on certification of the EU requirement for regular
veterinary visits.
For further information please contact [email protected].

Gov.uk

Meat fears keep Brazil trade talks on ice

A UK Government decision to maintain import barriers for Brazilian meat products is holding up progress on a trade deal, according to the team of Brazil’s new president-elect, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

Ministers set out plans for an Enhanced Trade Partnership (ETP) with Brazil in February, when Bolsonaro was in power, but progress on negotiations has been slow and is not set to speed up under the new administration.

A member of Lula’s team told The Independent: “In our view, the proposals being made by the UK are unbalanced and unfair in their current form.

“They want access to the financial market, IT and education, yet there are barriers to the import of Brazilian meat products, especially beef. They seem to have EU regulations in place despite Brexit.”

Earlier this year, Farmers Guardian reported that the Brazilian Government was unhappy the UK would not lift its ban on the import of hormone-treated beef, or allow meat packers to benefit from ‘pre-listing’, where exports are approved without the need for inspection.

The EU did have a pre-listing system in place with Brazil, but it was suspended in 2017 after some of the country’s biggest meat processors, including JBS and BRF, were found to be selling rotten beef and poultry.

Farm groups across the UK have welcomed the UK Government’s position.

by Abi Kay / Farmers Guardian

NZ trade deal: MPs call for analysis of risk to UK food security

The International Trade Committee today calls for an analysis of potential risks to the UK’s food security arising from the New Zealand trade deal.

In a new report on the UK’s trade agreement with New Zealand, the cross-party Committee of MPs raises concerns over the elimination of tariffs on New Zealand goods and the impact of opening UK agri-food markets to cheaper imports.

Much of New Zealand’s beef, sheep-meat and dairy are cheaper than those produced in the UK due to lower production costs.

With the Government’s impact assessment predicting that the UK’s agriculture, forestry, fishing, and semi-processed food sectors could contract due to increased competition, the Committee questions whether the pros and cons of tariff liberalisation have been fully considered.

While concluding that, on balance, the agreement should be ratified, the Committee outlines that it presents few new opportunities for UK exporters, and suggests more export opportunities or greater safeguards for the sector could have been negotiated.

The MPs criticise the absence of a single, unifying Government trade strategy and call for the publication of a clearly defined vision for trade, showing how it balances different priorities in the best interests of consumers and businesses. The Government’s approach to negotiating new deals is characterised as reactive and hasty, and not joined-up across departments. The Committee notes that current Treasury plans to raise taxes on higher-alcohol content beverages could negate measures in the agreement aimed at reducing the price of New Zealand wines.

The Committee also expresses shock that the UK is signing trade deals without thoroughly understanding how they interact with the Northern Ireland Protocol. MPs call on the Government to provide reassurance on how agreements between the UK, the EU and New Zealand will interact so that Northern Ireland can benefit from the trade deal in the same way as the rest of the UK.

The report calls for MPs to be given the opportunity to debate the agreement during the Parliamentary scrutiny period, with the ability to show their support, or otherwise, for it through a vote.

UK Parliament

NZ farmers to face livestock emissions tax under new plan

(CNN) – A burp or fart at the dinner table might land you in trouble – but if you’re a cow or sheep in New Zealand, it might land your owner a hefty tax bill.

Prime Minister Jacinda Arden confirmed at a press conference on Tuesday that her government will push ahead with a proposal to make farmers pay for their livestock’s emissions in a bid to combat climate change.

“This is an important step forward in New Zealand’s transition to a low emissions future and delivers on our promise to price agriculture emissions from 2025,” Ardern said.

New Zealand is a major livestock and meat exporter, and has around 10 million cattle and 26 million sheep. Agricultural accounts for half of the country’s total emissions, including 91% of its biogenic emissions of methane, a potent greenhouse gas with more than 80 times the global warming power of carbon dioxide in the short term.

“No other country in the world has yet developed a system for pricing and reducing agricultural emissions, so our farmers are set to benefit from being first movers,” Ardern said.

Andrew Hoggard, president of the rural advocacy agency Federated Farmers, said in a statement that the government’s plan will “rip the guts out of small town New Zealand.”

“We didn’t sign up for this. It’s gut-wrenching to think we now have this proposal from government which rips the heart out of the work we did. Out of the families who farm this land,” he said. “Our plan was to keep farmers farming. Now they’ll be selling up so fast you won’t even hear the dogs barking on the back of the ute as they drive off.”

By Christian Edwards / CNN