 |
MEAT PASSPORT
source: europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/
publi/fact/meat/2004_en.pdf
|
|
In the European Union, all cattle must be earmarked and have a bovine ‘passport’ showing their origin and movements between farms and to the market… - the EU offers a further opportunity for producers to add value to their meats products, via the quality marks available under its system for developing and protecting foodstuffs. The aims of the system are: to encourage diverse agricultural production; to protect product names from misuse and imitation; and, to help consumers by giving them information concerning the specific character of products. A full list of over 60 registered meat products can be found on the Commission’s website at: europa.eu.int/comm/agriculture/qual/en/pgi_03 en.htm
- the beef labelling and cattle identification rules together provide full traceability of cattle, and the meat they produce, from stable to table. Rules cover individual cuts of meat and even minced beef. Retailers may add further information about the product, to be displayed on the label, on a voluntary basis;
- identification and traceability of sheep/goats and their meats are the main area of policy work in the EU at present. The EU’s aim is that consumers will be able to trace the origin of the sheepmeat/goatmeat in order that they can choose their food on the basis of product quality, food safety and regional characteristics. New rules on sheep and goat identification were agreed in 2003. Under the proposals every sheep and goat will have to carry ear tags identifying them by a unique number and the farm they belong to. This information will be contained in a central database, run at national level, on which births and deaths and animal movements can be recorded. The main aim is to allow diseases to be contained more easily, as lack of knowledge of sheep and goat movements has been shown to be a major weakness in existing disease controls.
|
