An industry body is calling for the removal of vets from all small abattoirs in the UK as they offer “little in terms of animal health, animal welfare and public health”.
Norman Bagley, head of policy for the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS), made his remarks at the Oxford Real Farming Conference, where he suggested vets permanently on site at small [micro] abattoirs processing meat for the non-export market were simply another layer of the burdensome bureaucracy that had contributed to the closure of one-third of plants over the past decade.
Mr Bagley told Veterinary Times: “Twenty-odd years ago all these micro plants were served by local authorities. There was no veterinary surgeon in sight. The only time a vet was brought in was when there was a problem.
“European Food Safety Authority reports now basically say the current system – with vets present all the time – confers very little in terms of animal health, animal welfare and public health. They’re the professionals and I agree with them, therefore, our view, as an organisation, is to have a vet standing there all day in a micro plant is just a complete nonsense.”
- For the full story and BVA response, read the 21 January issue of Veterinary Times.