Letter: Doubts on UK beef
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: The British media have referred to two matters which delay agreement on beef imports to France. It is implied that these concern mere technicalities, and that the French are making a fuss about nothing. Nothing could be farther from the truth.
Firstly, traceability of cattle. When a new calf is born here its owner is responsible for putting the identity tag in its ear. In France, no farmer is trusted to do this, as I know from seven years in France with 14 suckler cows. Each year a Ministry of Agriculture man arrived; he tagged the calves and entered their detailed particulars in triplicate in my log book.
My vet, on receiving his copy, gave me green tickets for each calf, and when I sold the calves, these tickets had to travel with them. Drivers feared fines if they departed with even one green ticket missing.
A central computer covering France has recorded all this for a long time, but a similar system has existed here only since the CJD panic, and it is still not working reliably.
Then there are slaughterhouse conditions. Here, local authorities send inspectors to ensure that slaughter takes place correctly. It is common knowledge that there are not enough funds for inspectors, and that often the slaughterhouse workers (in a hurry) prefer to keep inspectors as far off as possible. There is intimidation.
The French believe that in these circumstances it is likely that the necessary checks cannot all get made, that defective meat of all kinds can get through, and that the British performance is haphazard if not slovenly.
The beef men have no chance of getting their carcasses to France and the other nervous importers of our meat while questions remain about traceability and the standards in our abattoirs.
URSULA HANSEN
Bridport, Dorset
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments