Conform or pay producers told

BEEF producers have been warned to meet specification to the letter when sending cattle to abattoirs – or face stiffer penalties for non-compliance.

Alan McNaughton, site director of McIntosh Donald at Portlethen, one the country’s largest meat plants, yesterday admitted that, in the past, abattoirs had not been able to fully impose penalties on carcases which failed to meet spec on weight or fat levels – or on the criteria for the Scotch label – because of the need to maintain factory throughput at a time of cattle shortages.

However he said that recent changes left abattoirs in a position to implement a price differential. McNaughton was reacting to criticism from producers of the proposed introduction of a penalty of 20p/kg from Monday for cattle which did not fully meet the conditions to label beef as Scotch.

Ten years ago, Scotland’s quality assurance scheme was changed to require that all beef carrying the Scotch label must come from cattle born and reared throughout their life on a quality assured farm in Scotland - rather than meeting the old “90-day”rule.

But McNaughton said that producers had continued to supply cattle which did not fully comply with these rules.

Producers were critical of the move, saying they needed at least six months notice to adapt. McNaughton, while maintaining the issue was costing the factory a fortune in lost premium, said that in the light of the concerns, he would look at the timing of the penalty.

EDDIE GILLANDERS