A RADICAL overhaul of food and meat inspection, bringing all inspectors under one agency, is proposed in a Fianna Fail food policy document due to be announced today.
The move follows the BSE crisis and a number of highly-publicised food scares, both in Ireland and abroad. It proposes to safeguard consumer interests and separate them from those of producers.
Separate inspectorates are currently deployed by the Departments of Health, Environment and Agriculture. The Department of Agriculture has responsibility for food matters; the Department of Health monitors food safety and the Department of the Environment oversees water. In addition, environmental health officers are answerable to health boards.
The policy has been drawn up by the Fianna Fail spokesman on agriculture and food, Mr Joe Walsh. It is believed to find that "in the aftermath of the BSE crisis and other recent food scares, it is absolutely vital that Ireland strengthens both its regulatory and quality assurance structures, not just for the beef sector but for the entire spectrum of Irish food products".
The document does not advocate a separate Department, of Food but endorses a new, distinct agency that would have a similar "independent" relationship to that of Environmental Protection Agency with the Department of the Environment, or the Revenue Commissioners with the Department of Finance.
It concludes that Ireland has an international reputation for outstanding food quality and is a leading supplier of top-quality food to global markets. It warns, however, that "the vulnerability of our food sector to consumer concerns on international markets has sadly become only too apparent".
The new framework is believed to ensure adherence to the highest international standards in food production and implementation of stricter quality assurance and safeguards. It includes the provision of more detailed information "on the precise origin and nature of food products", with "every point along the food chain, from farm to table, visible".
The party commits itself to a cost-effective national quality assurance scheme. This would have a dramatic impact on the beef sector in particular and allow identification of all farms from which an animal has moved in its lifetime. The Government is committed to introducing a similar computer-based scheme by the end of this year.
It is accepted that any such systems will place a considerable onus on farmers as there is a relatively high number of cattle movements in this country. An animal may change hands up to sevens times over three years. The Fianna Fail system, it is believed, would require the networking of regional veterinary offices, meat plants, marts and live export points so that the full history of an animal could be tracked.
This, says the document, would ensure the "necessary level of assurance to customers regarding the integrity and origin and integrity of Irish beef and live cattle".
It would also allow the introduction of independently monitored industry codes covering farm methods and meat processing.
Farmers would be required to record a fuller account of animal health, and medication, welfare surveillance and feed composition. Meat plants would be required to adhere to stricter in-plant codes of practice and food safety management systems.
Fianna Fail accepts the policy will require substantial resources and extensive co-ordination. However, any new food quality authority would have total responsibility for implementing, supervising and auditing new arrangements.
The introduction of a food quality assurance label is advocated, similar to the French Label Rouge. This would commit producers with such a quality assured label to internationally recognised food safety controls and auditing systems.
The policy claims a new emphasis on quality assurance would enhance the image of food produced in an industrial environment and ensure small-scale artisan production.
A growing international food market offers unprecedented opportunity, the policy says, but places "an absolute premium on standards and quality".
