NZPSA MEDIA RELEASE
*November 21, 2010*
*For Immediate Use*
*Meat inspectors more doubtful after first week of trials*
Independent government meat inspectors say they are even more sceptical of meat companies inspecting their own product
after a week of witnessing company workers doing just that, says the New Zealand Public Service Association (NZPSA).
A six-month-long trial where meat company workers are carrying out inspection tasks normally done by independent
government meat inspectors started last week (Mon 15 Nov) at the Affco Imlay meat plant with others set to begin shortly
at the Alliance Mataura plant and Silver Fern Farms Pareora.
"Despite their misgivings, our meat inspector members are cooperating with the trials because they want to protect the
quality and reputation of New Zealand meat. But what they saw last week doesn't fill them with confidence," says NZPSA
National Secretary Richard Wagstaff.
"It was revealed on the first day of the Imlay plant trial that the United States wouldn't accept meat from it. We had
previously been assured that our export partners had been informed and approved of the trials.
"We're hearing from our meat inspector members who've been observing the trial that the meat company "inspectors" are
failing to detect defects, disease and faecal matter," says Richard Wagstaff.
"That's hardly surprising given that they've only had two or three days training. Independent meat inspectors thoroughly
train for twenty weeks.
"These trials have been timed so that much of the meat flowing through them is healthy 12-week-old spring lamb. Once
these workers have to deal with an influx of older meat which carries more defects, their ability to spot defects and
disease will be severely challenged.
"We would caution other meat companies against risking their reputation by taking part in trials. The current crisis in
the kiwifruit industry shows how quickly disease can knock down our reputation on a multi-million dollar industry.
"These trials have been rushed through with a lack of consultation with our members and New Zealand's trading partners
all because the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) and its Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) want to rush through
their vision of deregulation that is supported by the meat industry.
"It goes without saying that New Zealand's export industry depends on our meat and agricultural production. The meat
industry alone is worth nearly $6 billion dollars. Independent meat inspection costs a fraction of this expenditure.
"That price guarantees huge export markets that value the high quality of New Zealand meat. That's a good investment in
anyone's book," says Richard Wagstaff.
ends