September 22, 2011
UK's FSA recommendation challenged
Food Standards Agency's (FSA) proposal to go against the lifting of processed animal proteins (PAP) ban in pig, poultry and fish feeds is being challenged.
NFU England and NFU Scotland accused the agency's board of having ignored scientific advice.
The board at its meeting a fortnight ago asked the UK Government to oppose the EU Commission proposal to lift part of an embargo imposed on the use of animal proteins a decade ago in response to the BSE crisis.
Officials had recommended the board back the bid as the risk from feeding pig proteins to poultry and poultry material to pigs and fish was negligible as long as strict conditions were met. The EU-wide ban on feeding proteins to cattle and sheep would remain.
A report to the board highlighted considerable consumer concerns on the issue. UK's four devolved chief medical officers also asked for use of all proteins in feed to be retained.
But NFU England president Peter Kendall has used a letter to the UK farming minister, Jim Paice, to request a meeting with FSA board members, whom he accused of appearing to have no understanding of the reasons behind the proposals which would allow expensive imported plant proteins, such as soy, to be substituted with cheaper materials available in the EU. He wants to meet the board to tell them the detrimental impact on farmers its recommendation could have, particularly on poultry producers.
Scottish president Nigel Miller said the expectation was that UK ministers are likely to back the return of PAP in pig and poultry diets, provided strict conditions are first met.
The FSA said the board was concerned that any change in policy relied on the effective enforcement of controls. A spokeswoman added the board could identify no real benefit from the change that would justify putting consumers at any additional risk.