IFA welcomes EU beef-tracing rules
John Dillon, president, said any new rules must be policed to be effective.
The commitment by Minister Joe Walsh that new EU beef regulations will require county-of-origin labelling to be extended to the catering and food service sector is welcome progress towards providing full traceability in the beef sector, he said.
Fine Gael deputy spokesperson Tom Hayes TD, welcomed the European Commission’s review of beef labelling, but urged the minister to ensure that the regulations are as extensive as possible.
“It is of paramount importance that the country of origin of foodstuffs is clearly labelled so consumers can make informed choices about what they are buying and eating,” he said.
Mr Hayes said he was pleased the provision under the new guidelines is expected to include beef served in the catering and service industries.
“However, I am concerned that in the case of own-brand products the labels do not currently provide country-of-origin information,” he said.
Mr Hayes said it is essential the requirements should apply to all meat products sold by the catering industry, such as poultry, lamb or pork.
“Minister Walsh, in his capacity as President of the EU Farm Council, must ensure EU-wide food labelling is transparent and understandable,” he said.
