Memorandum submitted by Fresh One Productions
(Pigs 26)
Food labelling generally is in a state of confusion
with packets of pork, sausages, ham and bacon faring no better.
Visits to retailers abroad show their national produce proudly
marketed as home grown yet this is not always the case for our
pig farmers. They contend with intermittent use of the recognisably
British, Quality Standard Mark, then there are the labels which
appear to suggest the product is British but detailed examination
reveal it's from simply "the EU" and there's a stark
absence of information to inform how the animal lived before it
became meat on the plate. We believe there are three key areas
this Committee could support which would help both our farmers
and consumers.
1. CLEAR DEFINITIONS
OF UK FARMING
SYSTEMS
We urge the Committee to consider whether clear
definitions of pig farming systems are needed so the consumer
might understand animal welfare choices. The RSPCA is paving the
way in an initiative with the pig industry to develop agreed definitions
for terms such as "free range" and "outdoor bred"
in relation to pig products. Their aim is to secure agreement
from all major retailers and Government so that welfare labelling
can then become an expected piece of information for every shopper.
2. WELFARE LABELLING
There are currently no laws, or even Government
or industry guidelines, relating to the labelling of pig meat
products with the method of production. This contrasts with the
situation for egg labelling which, across Europe, is now legally
required to state the manner in which the bird producing the egg
lives; caged, barn or free range. It is a simple, transparent
and verifiable system which empowers the shopper.
UK retailers use a number of different terms
to describe the farming systems used to produce the pig meat they
sell. Terms such as "outdoor reared", "outdoor
bred" and "free range" are often seen, but usually
without clear explanation for the consumer about exactly what
they mean. This is at best confusing, and is potentially misleading.
There is growing interest from consumers in the provenance of
food, including the welfare standards under which farm animals
are produced. However, consumers can only fully exercise their
undoubted power to support and encourage certain methods of livestock
farming if they have enough information to enable them to make
an informed choice. In this regard, it is essential that clear,
well defined, consistent (both within and between retailers) labelling
of pig meat products is achieved.
A voluntary agreement to apply these definitions
when labelling pig meat would be a positive start, but ultimately,
the aim should be to introduce legal provisions in this area,
building on the precedent set in EU law for labelling poultry
meat. Consumers across Europe would then be in a position to identify
which products to buy if they wish to support certain systems
of pig farming.
3. ARTICLE 35
OF THE
PROPOSED LABELLING
REGULATION ON
THE PROVISION
OF FOOD
INFORMATION TO
CONSUMERS
The European Parliament Member States are currently
considering a proposed new regulation on all food labelling. One
aspect of this relates to the voluntary labelling of meat with
a single country of origin. Consumers are increasingly concerned
about the provenance of their food yet current laws fail to address
this issue.
Currently, it is perfectly legal for a piece
of pork to have been imported from Denmark, cured in Britain and
sold as British Bacon. There is a perception that many products
are misleadingly labelled as British when the animal was in fact
only posthumously dealt with here, having been born, reared and
slaughtered abroad.
Article 35 of the proposed new regulations would
stop this nonsense. Article 35 (4) states:
"For meat, other than beef and veal [already
dealt with by Regulation 1760/2000], the indication on the country
of origin or place of provenance may be given as a single place
on where animals have been born, reared and slaughtered in the
same country or place. In other cases information on each of the
different places of birth, rearing and slaughter shall be given."
We are aware of the difficulties British pig
farmers have faced over the past decade. Cheap pork imports being
passed off as British exacerbate an already difficult situation.
Article 35 (4) has the potential to stop this. We urge the Committee
to examine this issue and make support of Article 35 part of the
UK policy on food labelling.
Nicola Gooch
Series Producer
Simon Ford
Executive Director
October 2008
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