This week, the Food Standards Agency announced a 17.7% price hike for Official Veterinarian charges to meat businesses and an 11.3% rise in the cost of Meat Inspectors from this April. Additionally, the agency is proposing a drastic reduction in the current discount on charges from next year. Combined, these changes will put further strain on meat companies that already operate at very small margins (often less than 2%). It will add to food price inflation for shoppers, and it will render our exports less competitive against competitor countries which benefit from far more efficient, modern and cheaper systems.
BMPA has written to the Food Standards Agency calling for urgent reform and modernisation of a system that is currently inefficient, riddled with duplication and behind the curve in employing proven technology that could transform how these services are delivered. We have also highlighted the opacity of the system of charging which we believe means that the industry is funding not just direct costs associated with statutory food safety inspections but also other, unrelated, overheads of the FSA.
We, along with other meat industry organisations, will also be writing to Rachel Reeves to raise these issues and the curb on growth that they will cause. We will share with you both those letters in a future update.
We are the UKs largest trade body for the meat industry and provide expert advice on trade issues, bespoke technical advice and access to government policy makers
We are proud to count businesses of all sizes and specialties as members. They range from small, family run abattoirs serving local customers to the largest meat processing companies responsible for supplying some of our best-loved brands to shops and supermarkets.
We are further strengthened by our associate Members who work in industries that support and supply our meat processing companies.
We are the voice of the British meat industry.
17 Clerkenwell Green
Clerkenwell, EC1 0DP
Tel: 020 7329 0776