Illegal meat sales worry retailers’ federation

Press, 3 September 1986, Page 3

Illegal meat sales worry retailers’ federation

PA Wellington An upsurge in the illegal sale of uninspected meat from stock killed on farms is concerning the Meat Retailers’ Federation. It has been particularly noticeable over the last eight or nine months and the blame is placed on hard economic times faced by farmers. Because they were not getting paid enough for stock sent to freezing works they were selling it themselves, said the federation’s secretary, Mr David Lonsdale, yesterday. In some parts of north-

ern Wairarapa and Taranaki illegal sales were particularly rife. It was difficult to say who the buyers were and rumours were often hard to substantiate, Mr Lonsdale said.

Reports of uninspected meat being sold in factories arid to restaurant owners had been received. The problem was a difficult one to stamp out, particularly since the removal earlier this year of the mandatory striping of inspected, graded meat Mr Lpnsdale said he did not think anyone would like to see farmers lose the right to kill stock on

farm for their own use. However, the reintroduction of a striping system involving the confiscation of any meat for sale that was not marked would help cut illegal sales. In Canterbury the illegal sale of uninspected meat is likely to have increased, according to the regional meat veterinarian in the Ministry of Agriculture in Christchurch, Mr Karl Thaisen. "We know it is going on but we cannot do anything about it unless we catch the farmers red-handed,” he said. “Until the appropriate laws are changed there is nothing more we can do,” Mr Thaisen said.