Deal reached on carcass grading

AGREEMENT has been reached between the Department of Agriculture and IMPACT on redeployment arrangements for carcass grading staff at the country’s meat factories.

Mechanical grading is due to replace visual inspections in the factories in January, but the meat industry says the installation of the machines could take up to eight months to complete.

Farm groups have called on Minister Joe Walsh to retain the grading staff until the meat factories are able to implement a satisfactory mechanical grading system.

But the minister told Fine Gael spokesperson Billy Timmins in the Dáil that training of factory operatives, delivered free of charge by the department, was currently in progress.

This would enable them to be trained to the appropriate standard and provide continuity of service when the department classifiers were withdrawn.

At that stage the department would provide intensive supervision of the grading process.

Farm leaders who saw mechanical grading tests at the Dawn Meat plant in Midleton, Co Cork, last week said they were impressed. IFA livestock committee chairman Derek Deane said mechanical grading was the way forward.

ICSA policy officer Ray Dunne said time is of the essence if mechanical grading is to be in place by spring 2004. Some factories would have to alter their kill lines in order to accommodate the new machine and this would take up additional time.