July 7, 2009

UK's meat processing industry has escaped a proposed 4-percent increase in inspection charges which was expected to be imposed from this autumn.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said it would go ahead with a new system to calculate charges in abattoirs and cutting plants but the increased charges it originally planned will not be introduced.

FSA said the new system, which will come into effect on September 28, will calculate the charges based on the time it takes to carry out the inspections. This could result in smaller bills for some businesses.

FSA's decision was welcomed by NFU livestock board chairman Alistair Mackintosh noting his concerns that any additional costs could have had an impact on the operational viability of meat plants.