Rotten pork

Yesterday I called my favourite, because I wanted to purchase a hamper pressie. The provenance of the foods was listed in the easy to read on-line menu. On the phone I asked for clarity, easy.

When I'm forced to eat away from home (by circumstance) I always ask questions to the food. How is that difficult?

It’s important to to exaggerate the issue, the food we buy everyday is safe, we have not had a public health breakdown in recent years, the inspections have worked. Misdescription of food products happens regularly, cheaper substitutes used or places of origin are wrong, this is a trading standards issue, not public health,

Exactly! I don't often eat them, but lots of people do and they have a right to know their food is safe to eat, without paying a premium.

And ready meals, ready re-heated pub meals and take-aways.

I wonder how many sausage rolls, pork pies, ham and BLT sandwiches are bought and eaten in the UK every year. I have no idea, but my guess is many millions. I doubt if people enquire about the provenance of the pork.

Norah

Over 60% of Brits purchase organic - I wonder the disconnect?

Perhaps some just purchase one or two items?

I’m sure 60% have purchased organic and been disappointed with quality and value

We have lost all control (over meat and produce coming into the country)

www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/16/uk-at-risk-of-food-safety-expert-warns

Over 60% of Brits purchase organic - I wonder the disconnect?

Perhaps some just purchase one or two items?

Organic accounts for around 2% of UK food production so in terms of feeding the nation it is irrelevant, of the rest the vast majority is Red Tractor or higher standard. There are no higher standards in the world, the rules that have to be followed are very strong, most on this forum don’t have the first idea what is involved. Anything imported is going to be a lower standard and traceability disappears.

As with any rules there are going to be rules broken and punishment is severe, one isolated case can cost hundreds of thousands and put you out of business, so it’s all taken very seriously. I take heart that the government sets standards that enable farmers to feed the nation.

Katie59, no system is perfect, and of course in any system there will be chancers and cheats. But overall comparing organic with other systems, animals being raised to organic standards will be better fed and raised to higher welfare standards than animals in any other more extensive code, like Red Traactor.

Choughdancer
Also this one that you conveniently ignore

www.thegrocer.co.uk/sourcing/waitrose-suspends-organic-farm-after-animal-abuse-claims/570944.article

Katie59

M0nica

Katie59 So it has absolutely nothing to do with restoraive farming that aims at putting the welfare of the animals and restoring the soil at the centre of farming methods, just government gobbledgook used to hide indusrial farming behind a screen of greenwsh.

Animal welfare is well taken care of with Red Tractor and Supermarket inspections, anyone proved to be breaking rules either get fined, jailed or looses the contract.

As I said Environmental enhancements, everything is micro managed now, rotations, fertilizer, chemicals, wildlife provision and I almost forgot, food production too.

That's not true Katie.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/chicken-farms-ocado-tesco-thirst-moy-park-red-tractor-animal-cruelty-a9661216.html

www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/pig-animal-cruelty-red-tractor-rosebury-farm-dunstable-inspectors-ban-a8470011.html

farmsnotfactories.org/articles/is-red-tractor-high-welfare

There are many more articles like this.

MaizieD

Norah

Fleurpepper

Have I got this right? Are the few posters above saying that it is OK that Brexit means any old cr*p meat can come into the UK and that it does not matter because they can afford the choice of local farm butchers? Really?

Nobody said that.

No, nobody has said that, but no-one seems to be showing much concern for our fellow citizens who can't afford to, or can't access local butchers and farm shops but eat meat from other sources that they think is 'safe' because of our supposedly high standards but whose confidence is being exploited by our government which isn't performing checks on imported meat.

I am not saying this to be critical of them, it's just that I think I understand what Fleurpepper is getting at.

Perhaps I misunderstood the original post, but it seems to me people could read packaging, avoid buying 'sandwich food' and such?

No idea what prepared 'sandwich food' is, why labels aren't sufficient?

Norah

Fleurpepper

Have I got this right? Are the few posters above saying that it is OK that Brexit means any old cr*p meat can come into the UK and that it does not matter because they can afford the choice of local farm butchers? Really?

Nobody said that.

No, nobody has said that, but no-one seems to be showing much concern for our fellow citizens who can't afford to, or can't access local butchers and farm shops but eat meat from other sources that they think is 'safe' because of our supposedly high standards but whose confidence is being exploited by our government which isn't performing checks on imported meat.

I am not saying this to be critical of them, it's just that I think I understand what Fleurpepper is getting at.

Fleurpepper

Have I got this right? Are the few posters above saying that it is OK that Brexit means any old cr*p meat can come into the UK and that it does not matter because they can afford the choice of local farm butchers? Really?

Nobody said that.

Certainly not.

Speaking for myself - absolutely not😮. But I suggested that if I wanted to avoid crap meat then I would go to the sort of butcher/farmer described here.

But definitely I abhor what is happening and dare I say - we told you so.

(Not you of course🙂)

Have I got this right? Are the few posters above saying that it is OK that Brexit means any old cr*p meat can come into the UK and that it does not matter because they can afford the choice of local farm butchers? Really?

Germanshepherdsmum

I haven’t been abroad for years so no problem.

Apart from meat.. go over to Germany, Italy, Austria - for fantastic fun times in better weather than my garden.

Since the two butchers we use in the UK are both producer butchers, and say so, we know that all the meat comes from their own farms.

I haven't seen it in Britain, although WWM2 shows that it does happen.

The butcher in my daughters village does exactly that and the farms are all very local.

Our local butcher in France has a board up in his shop telling us exactly which animal is currently being sold in his shop. All the registration details, the name of the farmer and the name of the farm. Sometimes even a photo of the animal with its proud owner. We would be able to go round and inspect the fields it had grazed in if we wished.

I haven’t been abroad for years so no problem.

I wouldn’t wish to eat any meat from another country.

So do you turn vegetarian when/if you go abroad, GSM?

I wouldn’t wish to eat any meat from another country. I want to know where it’s come from and how it was raised. If the restaurant doesn’t satisfy me on those points (and those local to me always do) I will choose the vegetarian option. I have been known to ask for confirmation that a dish didn’t include foie gras when the menu is unclear - something I utterly refuse to eat.