Hygieiie too high?

Press, 4 August 1981, Page 7

Hygieiie too high?

Parliamentary reporter A bid to lower meat hygiene standards and shift meat inspection from the Ministry of Agriculture to the meat companies failed at the National Party conference. In a remit committee Hawke’s Bay delegates said that New Zealand might be producing the cleanest lamb, in the world, but with rising costs that cost the taxpayer millions of dollars in subsidies.

Meat inspection personnel had increased tenfold in the last 20 years, and as members of the Public Service Association, could strike. Hygiene control should be by an independent board appointed by the meat companies under the supervision of the Meat Board. Private enterprise would be more costefficient than the public sector.

Speakers against the remit said that the Meat Industry Delicensing Bill passed last year was cutting costs by creating competition in the industry. The Government should employ inspectors, because it was the final responsibility of guaranteeing meat hygiene standards to overseas buyers. Lower minimum hygiene standards would reduce sales, they said.