FSA prosecutes raw milk vending machine sales - Lincolnshire sausage in third bid for EU protected name status - ASA rule against honey claim - EU reviews future of organic agriculture - GM labelling important - and more ...

Newsletter No. 10   January 2013


Small family dairy faces prosecution for raw milk sales

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) announced on 23 January that it is to prosecute pioneering dairy farmer Steve Hook of Hook and Son and Selfridges for selling raw milk by means of a vending machine. This turn of events was foreshadowed in Hook and Son’s regular newsletter on 15 January in a brief Stop Press announcement stating that the FSA had served a summons on Steve Hook to appear at Westminster Magistrates Court.

Steve Hook

The FSA’s action comes while Steve Hook celebrates the premiere of a new documentary film all about his pioneering work. The Moo Man premiered at Robert Redford’s Sundance Film Festival in the USA a couple of days before the FSA’s announcement and was being screened all last week. The summons relate to offences under Schedule 6 of the Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2006. The FSA stated that:
 
“Selfridges has been charged as 'a person other than the occupier of a production holding or distributor' under Regulation 32 and Schedule 6 Paragraph (2) (1). Mr Hook has been charged, separately, as 'an occupier of a production holding', under Regulation 32 and Schedule 6(2) (2) of the Food Hygiene (England) Regulations.
 
Summons have been served to both parties and a hearing date has been set for 6 February at Westminster Magistrates Court.
 
This case is not linked to the current review of rules governing the sale and marketing of unpasteurised, or raw, drinking milk and cream in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.”
 
Which begs the question if this action is not linked to the current review why the need to say so? Artisan Food Law will be following the case so stay tuned for further updates.
 
 

‘Traditional’ Lincolnshire Sausage in third bid for protected status

Lincolnshire SausagesPrevious attempts to secure EU Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status were for the ‘Lincolnshire Sausage’. The last attempt was finally turned down by Defra last October on the grounds that no clear link between pork products from Lincolnshire and sage had been established or, more importantly, between the specific quality due to the sage of the Lincolnshire Sausage and the county of Lincolnshire, nor had an enduring reputational link between the product and the geographical area been established.
 
In this third bid to secure protected name status campaigners have opted for their fall back position in which the name sought to be protected is prefixed 'Traditional' Lincolnshire Sausage. It is not immediately clear how, given Defra's reasoning, this will help, although it should overcome objections that may otherwise arise from producers of Lincolnshire Sausage elsewhere in the UK. Surely consumers are likely to find this all very confusing?
 
 

ASA rule against honey claim

Rowse HoneyIn a recent decision earlier this month the Advertising Standards Authority ruled the claim that "Rowse Honey is a natural source of slow release energy" was misleading. Rowse sought to rely on evidence to support their claim which did not exist at the time it was made and, in any event, it did not support the claim. All that had been demonstrated was that Rowse honey had a low glycaemic index and this was insufficient to substantiate the claim it was a natural source of slow release energy.
 
The advert breached rules 3.1 and 3.9 of the UK Code of Broadcast Advertising in that it was misleading and not capable of objective substantiation. The ASA further ruled that the advert must not be broadcast again in its current form.
 
 

EU reviews the future of organic agriculture

EU Organic LogoA review of EU policy on the future of organic agriculture is underway. It raises the spectre of higher levels of GM contamination being tolerated or worse. Amongst key issues highlighted are:

- Simplifying the legal framework, while maintaining standards.
- The co-existence of GM crops with organic farming
- Better control systems and trade arrangements for organic products.
- The impact of the new labelling rules (including the new EU logo on organic products).

The consultation lasts until 10 April 2013. Make sure to have your say and make your views known! The European Commission have published an online questionnaire and there is more information from Artisan Food Law here.
 
 

Consumers say GM food labelling important

ResearGM Freech by the Food Standards Agency reveals that two-thirds of consumers say GM food labelling is important. Not surprising you may think, since most people would prefer to make an informed choice.
 
Currently, meat, milk and eggs from animals fed GM animal feed need not be labelled to indicate the presence of GM. Consumers are generally unaware of this fact and of the use of GM animal feed by farmers, but once made aware, they think products from animals fed GM feed should be so labelled. The requirement within the EU to label foods containing GM appears to provide false reassurance when it comes to what animals are fed.
 
Some EU countries label products 'GM-free' or 'without GM', although tolerate some GM material due, for example, to accidental contamination.
 
The full research report is here.
 


Meanwhile …

Raw milk is making a comeback in top London restaurants.
 
Fast food is 'linked to childhood asthma and eczema'. Researchers followed 500,000 kids in 50 countries and found striking increased levels of risk.
 
A life of pie for Wigan school kids! If only all schools would teach kids to explore and cook their local food heritage?
 
What? Black pudding comes with instructions that it must be cooked before eating? What sort is that?
 
The source of Stilton cheese's unique aroma is revealed. It's all in the yeast!
 
Details emerge of EU crackdown on olive oil fraud with more detailed and targetted checks.
 
English sparkling wine producers must communicate regional difference. Camel Valley set for PDO and first UK Grand Cru, although English wine experts question the need for regionality, saying strong brands matter more than terroir.
 
50% of all food 'thrown away' - poor storage and fussy consumers a part of the problem.
Michael White has a refreshingly down to earth approach amid all the recent reporting on food waste.
 
Sustain plans 'The Pig Idea' industrial food waste campaign. More waste to animal feed is needed.
 
Don’t fear that expired food. Food use/sell by dates can be quite arbitrary.
 
Where California failed, India takes action - from 1 January 2013 packaged food with GM ingredients must carry GM label.
 
Professor John Vandermeer, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, on the conversion of Mark Lynas to the GM cause.
 
Poland bans the cultivation of GM maize and potatoes, and gets around EU law giving a blanket approval using a legal loophole.
 
Some 13 EU countries are set to fall foul of the ban on sow stalls which became effective on 1 January 2013.
 



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