Viva!
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Fax: 0117 924 4646
email:
media@viva.org.uk
More Lapdog than
Watchdog
In its dark days of opposition, the Labour party led
us to believe that MAFF (Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries
& Food) should no longer represent both the interests of
those who produce food and those who eat it. MAFF’s handling
of the BSE crisis showed that producers came first and the
survival of the beef and dairy industries was considered
more important than human life. But Labour has allowed MAFF
to retain its all-powerful position and the FSA was formed
supposedly to curb its excesses. The correspondence we have
seen shows this is not the case.
Secret Papers reveal Food Standards Agency’s cave
in to Government
Secret correspondence between Government and the
Food Standards Agency (FSA) has been seen by Viva!
and destroys the claim that the FSA is the
consumers’ champion. This supposedly independent
watchdog has caved in to Government pressure
without a murmur.
Article from Viva!LIFE magazine, issue 17, Spring
2001
With no publicity, last year the EU decided to institute a
ban on pithing cattle at slaughter - a process which
involves thrusting a metal rod through the hole in the
animal’s head made by the captive bolt pistol. It destroys
the brain, stops the animal from kicking and helps to ensure
it remains unconscious until its throat is cut. The EU
claims that this process risks BSE infected brain material
entering the animal’s carcass through its blood vessels,
pumped to all parts by its still-beating heart. The FSA’s
Chris Walding prepared a consultation document asking
selected interests groups for their views on the EU’s
proposal.
He made it clear that the FSA opposed the ban because the UK
rule preventing all cattle over thirty months old from being
eaten (OTM rule) had resulted in a very low number of
infected cattle entering the food chain
He took a swipe at other European governments by saying:
“This may not be true of other countries which have BSE but
no OTM rule”. He went on; “The reduction in risk in the UK
... unfortunately was not recognised by the EU
Commission...” Mr Walding added: “... it remains the FSA’s
view that there is no need on grounds of food safety to ban
pithing in the UK...”
A copy of this draft was sent to MAFF who replied: “We are
not convinced that blaming the EU is the best approach to
take and perhaps the tone of the letter could be
reconsidered.” To ensure that it was, MAFF then reworded the
document.
It said: “... there was no need unilaterally to change the
UK practice of pithing... Nonetheless, such a ban would
provide an additional safeguard by removing any possibility
that brain tissue could be transported via the blood
stream...” At the stroke of a pen, the FSA’s opposition was
transformed into support.
In many ways it doesn’t matter who is right and who is
wrong. Clearly, the FSA is not independent and changes its
opinion when the Government tells it to. We can no longer
believe a word it says.
There has been research available for years to show that the
captive bolt pistol itself may lead to the spread of
infected BSE material through a cow’s carcass but it has
continued in use. Clearly, the problems inherent in
livestock production and slaughter are now so profound that
any sane leadership would put its weight behind organic
horticulture.
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