The Rural Payments Agency has reminded the meat industry in England and Wales that, from 1st January, the agency will be granted new powers to ensure consistency of grading for pig and bovine carcases.

EU regulations, which require larger slaughterhouses to have carcases classified by suitably qualified staff, and to keep a series of records of this activity, have been brought in to create fairer payment to producers and improves the transparency of the pork and beef market.

Changes to domestic legislation will give RPA a wider range of enforcement measures from next month, including financial penalties or criminal prosecution for non-compliance.

This will affect operators of slaughterhouses and workers licensed to classify adult bovine and pigs according to a European Community quality scale.

RPA, acting on behalf of Defra and the Welsh Government, currently inspects 40 pig and 65 bovine abattoirs in England and Wales to check their compliance with scheme regulations.

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