Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
6
From farm to slaughter
Meat hygiene safety management systems should
endeavour to take into consideration the entire process
of production and processing involved in producing
meat or meat products as food from farm animals. Only
by ensuring the animals on the farm are managed in a
responsible manner with respect to quality and integrity
of feed provided, animal remedy use, husbandry and
welfare can the high standards demanded by the
consumer be assured. These demands have changed over
recent decades in the Western developed countries from
the immediate post-war call for cheap meat to the pre-
sent requirement for a traceable, guaranteed safe and
wholesome, environmental and animal welfare-friendly
product.
The definition of food in EU Regulation 178/2004,
Article 2 is 'any substance or product, whether processed or
unprocessed, intended to be, or reasonably expected to be
ingested by humans. Food shall not include (i) feed; (ii) live
animals unless they are prepared for placing on the market
for human consumption (iii) residues or contaminants'.
The live domestic farm animal, being prepared for human
consumption, is therefore food.
In addition, within the EU, the reform of the Common
Agricultural Policy (CAP) in 2003 broke the link between
financial support payments to farmers and the volume
of production and introduced instead requirements for
environmental protection and high standards in animal
health and animal welfare. These requirements vary in
detail in different member states and are usually
described in national guides or codes of practice for
good farming practice.
Regulation (EC) 852/2004 also encourages member
states to develop national guides on good hygiene prac-
tice for control of hazards in primary production and
associated operations (Part B, Annex I). Examples given
of such hazards and measures may include:
Production of clean, healthy livestock
(see Fig. 6.1 and Fig. 6.2)
The monitoring of all aspects of husbandry practices
on the farm should be the first step in a longitudi-
nally integrated meat hygiene management system. As
long ago as 1990, the Richmond Committee on the
Microbiological Safety of Food (Part II) concluded that
'farmers can contribute to food safety by producing
healthy, clean and unstressed animals for slaughter, and
we believe that this simple truth should be borne in
mind by livestock producers and stressed by all who
provide them with advice.
EU Council Regulation 853/2004 emphasised the
importance the primary producer has to play in ensuring
the safety of their produce by introducing a requirement
for appropriate hygienic controls on farm and making
the producer of a food legislatively responsible for its
safety.
1
The control of contamination such as mycotoxins,
heavy metals and radioactive material
2
The use of water, organic waste and fertilisers
3
The correct and appropriate use of plant protection
products and biocides and their traceability
4
The correct and appropriate use of veterinary medici-
nal products and feed additives and their traceability
5
The preparation, storage use and traceability of feed
6
The proper disposal of dead animals, waste and litter
