Early responses to impending full-cost recovery have been predictable and salient. The farming press have been quick to respond, and recognize the potential impact of a total removal from the agricultural map of small /medium abattoirs , and how it is going to affect their sector. Norman Bagley, policy director of AIMS (Association of Meat Suppliers) puts it succiently. "If it gets its way the Food Standards Agency (FSA) will deprive the consumers it is supposed to put first of the opportunity to buy locally sourced meat - the only outlets will be supermarkets supplying a bulk standard product that has either been imported or produced by a few foreign- owned meat conglomerates."

This is not an overstatement and will lead to much comment and column inches in the months to come. The FSA propoganda machine will be ready and primed to deal with any adverse reports that will be inevitably forthcoming, and any support our industry receives should be welcomed and gratefully received.

Those of us who run abattoirs, the people who receive the bills and who actually sign the cheques so to speak, should carefully reflect on how to respond to the FSA's proposals and perhaps to ask ourselves some searching questions based on previous experience.

(1) "Consultations" introduced by a government department are anything but. More like a fait-accompli. When "options" are presented in a consultation, rest assured the option favoured by Government WILL be put into place. Quite frankly, they are a waste of time. Is it not time for industry to give our trade representatives the backing for a new starting place with consultations? To give financial and moral backing to bring about a scenario where we, the levy-payers, actually set the agendas for meetings and consultations? Should we not seek to radically change our relationships with officials, or carry on in the toothless way that we are?A big question that we all need to be honest about. Have we got the nerve and desire? Its fundemental to any progress in my view.


(2) Remind ourselves not to play into FSA hands about payment, to just moan about the charges. To do that, we will be seen to be putting a price on public health, and would lose the backing of the masses. WE all know that our industry could carry out and perform our statutory duties without any financial help, whether to us directly or to the FSA, but we have to prove that to the general public over a period of time.
At this time we need some answers to some pertinent questions from the FSA before going any further forward. What risk asessments have actually been carried out in relation to products produced in an abattoir? Will they enter into a debate on the science that underpins official interpretations of UK abattoir regulations? Can we see full records of the discussions on the subject in Brussels? (we must not be frightened to insist on freedom of information laws here, if necessary.)

Early days, but we have to realize there's a war on, and we have to be ready with the ammo, because for sure the FSA will.

Toby Baker