MEAT GRADING IN INVERCARGILL

Southland Times, Issue 25538, 5 December 1944, Page 4

MEAT GRADING IN INVERCARGILL

SCHEME TO OPERATE FROM NEW YEAR

The grading of meat for the retail market will start in Invercargill on January 1. The scheme, which has been in operation in Wellington since November 1943, is being extended throughout the Dominion. The scheme has already come into operation in Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin and will be extended to other abattoir districts, including Invercargill, on January 1. , Coloured stripes will be used to indicate the grade, the colouring matter being harmless. First grade meat, whether veal, beef, pork, lamb or mutton, will carry one red stripe on the carcasses. Second grades of the same meats will be marked with one violet stripe. Two red stripes will be applied to first grade hogget, of which there is just the one grade. Meat with red markings, therefore, will be first grade and meat with violet markings second grade. For some meats there will be a third grade, which will be shown by one yellow stripe, and a boner, which will carry two green stripes. Any meat which, by reason of its method of preparation cannot carry the coloured marking, must have a ticket displayed with it showing its grading. SECOND GRADE MEAT

It is pointed out that meat classed as second grade is still good meat and measures up to health and nutrition requirements. It has to be remembered that there are not always sufficient quantities of prime stock available to cope with all demands for first grade meat, particularly in the late winter and early spring.. Prices for first grade meat will be those ruling on the introduction of grading. Prices for second grade will be 20 per cent, below first grade prices, and for third grade 40 per cent, below first grade. The president of the Southland Master Butchers’ Association (Mr J. G. Metcalfe), commenting on the introduction of the scheme yesterday, said that boner grade meat could not be cut up into joints or chops. It had to be boned and used in small goods. He said that there was plenty of first grade beef available in Southland, but there was a shortage of first grade mutton.