US says no to fox guarding NZ meat

Written By: - Date published: 2:28 pm, November 17th, 2010 - 11 comments
Categories: economy, national/act government, uncategorized - Tags:

I know it’s in National’s DNA to fight regulation where ever they find it but it looks like the meat industry and government ‘watch dog’ MAF’s Food Safety Authority may have bitten off more than they can chew with their proposal to do away with independent  meat inspectors in the country’s freezing works.

Seems a 6 month trial to have company meat inspectors replace the SOE AsureQualityinspectors has already gone awry with the US saying no thanks to any meat from companies running the trials.

The trials started this week at Affco Imlay (part of the Talleys network so that’s alright) and the long and the short of it is meat companies get to inspect their own products to make sure they pass the food safety test and give them the tick for export.

Not surprisingly government meat inspectors are not universally welcome at freezing works and intimidation and threats are common as companies want as much meat as possible to pass muster and be sold. So it’s hardly surpising that the meat companies are pushing for this move and of course they’re saying that profits and cost cutting will never stand in the way of food saftey…

What is surprising is that the government is willing to gamble with NZ’s reputation as an exporter of quality and safe meat.

11 comments on “US says no to fox guarding NZ meat ”

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  1. Red Rosa 1
    17 November 2010 at 3:01 pm

    The USDA should know.

    The Reagan Administration similarly handed over USDA meat inspection functions to the US meatpacking companies in the 1980s, with predictable results.

    Meat contamination complaints soared, and there were several fatalities traced to lethal strains of E. coli.

    Resulting lawsuits took years to work through the US courts, though some plaintiffs were eventually successful.

    Current situation over there unknown. Probably the usual variable mix of federal and state regulation. The USDA has always been tough with imports though.

    • Lanthanide 1.1
      17 November 2010 at 3:16 pm

      Yes, reading this post I had to double-check you were talking about the USA here. Talk about hypocrites.

      In the US, they are so sure that none of their cows have mad-cow that they don’t need to test them. When a cow is actually suspected of having mad-cow, they quickly slaughter it and dispose of it before the tests can be done, and then say “nup, can’t prove it” and carry on, and don’t even bother testing the rest of the herd. Then they pat themselves on the back for a job well done, and hold up their 100% mad-cow free status as to why they don’t need to do any testing when anyone suggests that they should.

      Somehow the American public seem to put up with this.

    • felix 1.2
      17 November 2010 at 3:21 pm

      But isn’t that the whole point? Why would the U.S. want to import potentially dodgy meat from NZ when they’ve got plenty of their own?

      Surely ours is only worth importing if it’s, you know, better.

      • Colonial Viper 1.2.1
        17 November 2010 at 3:30 pm

        Its the US. If its not better, then cheaper will do. And of course, even expensive cuts of quality meat can be contaminated.

        • Tigger 1.2.1.1
          17 November 2010 at 4:02 pm

          Well, if stripping regulation from food safety won’t produce world-beating contaminated meat then I really don’t know what will…maybe Key needs to go spit in the meat as it comes off the production line…

  2. Billy Fish 2
    17 November 2010 at 9:13 pm

    This horrifies me – we have a child on the way and dodgy meat is a damned good way to risk a pregnancy
    Thanks for the warning – I will now be the supermarkets to confirm the source of all meat, and would suggest everyone does this, if the supermarkets get pissed off enough with continuous questions then maybe they will start talking to the suppliers etc etc ….or am I living in a bit of a dream state

    • M 2.1
      17 November 2010 at 11:28 pm

      Good one BF, I must inquire at my local Slack ‘n Slave as i tend to hassle them about lots of other stuff.

      What we need here is someone well-known a la Oprah to say something like she did: “Ï’m not eating a hamburger again!” to wake up these fools.

      Hone, can you spare five minutes from Matt’s campaign?

  3. Dan 3
    18 November 2010 at 7:52 am

    I was amazed to hear they were even contemplating such a nonsense. It reminds me of the removal of controls of wood for housing that preceded the leaky homes debacle. Another free market meltdown. When will they learn that a little bit of nanny state, just like keeping to the left on the road, is for the public good!

  4. vto 4
    18 November 2010 at 8:42 am

    Ha ha, Talleys doing their own regulatory requirements. That has to be the biggest laugh this decade.

  5. Uroskin 5
    18 November 2010 at 11:56 am

    Only live, red, erect and throbbing meat passes my lips.

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