New RPA powers to drive EU quality standards on meat products in force from 1 Jnauary 2012 (From Smallholder)

New RPA powers to drive EU quality standards on meat products in force from 1 Jnauary 2012

7:20pm Monday 19th December 2011 in Livestock

The meat industry in England and Wales is reminded that the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) gets new powers to ensure consistency of grading for pig and bovine carcases from 1 January 2012.

The EU regulations require larger slaughterhouses to have carcases classified by suitably qualified staff and to keep a series of records of this activity. The classification also facilitates fair payment to producers and improves the transparency of the pork and beef market.

Changes to domestic legislation will give RPA a wider range of enforcement measures from next month (1st January 2012) including financial penalties or criminal prosecution for non-compliance.

This will affect operators of slaughterhouses and workers licensed to classify adult bovine and pigs according to a European Community quality scale