Makers launch legal bid to save raw milk cheeses
A GROUP of artisan cheesemakers are set to take legal action against a food watchdog over new guidelines they claim will force them out of business.
Producers – including the family firm Errington Cheese who won a battle with South Lanarkshire Council over their products – have announced plans to challenge Food Standard Scotland (FSS).
They have hit out a new FSS rules over the production of raw milk cheese and plan to face them in the Court of Session in Edinburgh. The cheesemakers have launched a £15,000 fundraising campaign to finance the challenge which they say is vital to save the production of raw milk cheese in Scotland.
They claim guidelines issued by FSS in December are not in line with EU guidance on raw cheese production and will damage their businesses.
FSS published strict enforcement guidance for environmental health officers on regulating unpasteurised cheese production in Scotland.
The action has been launched by Errington, Isle of Mull Cheese, Galloway Farmhouse Cheese, Cambus O May Cheese, and Finlay’s Farm Ltd. Their appeal – which has already raised more than £1,800 – hopes a judicial review will force FSS to change their stance.
The group said: “We believe that new guidance for the regulation of Scotland’s raw milk cheese production, introduced on December 21, 2018, will effectively make raw milk cheese production in Scotland unviable. This would eradicate decades worth of knowledge and expertise from our nation’s food heritage and would remove many award winning fine cheeses from Scotland’s national cheeseboard.”
Food Standards Scotland said it was aware of concerns over the guidance and planned to meet cheesemakers for discussions.
A spokesman said: “The purpose of the guide is to ensure a consistent and proportionate approach. It focuses on the control of risks associated with Shiga toxinproducing E. coli (STEC), and provides a guide to the evidence such food businesses need to provide to ensure appropriate and proportionate food safety controls are in place to protect consumers”.