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NFMFT warns Beef on the Bone ban may return
25/02/05

Norman Kyle

The National Federation of Meat and Food Traders is warning that the beef on the bone ban will be re-introduced once over 30 month old cattle are re-introduced into the food chain - with implications for high street butchers and farmers.

Federation president Norman Kyle, whose organisation represents around 8,000 independent butchers across the country, said the federation had just had the news which he described as “startling”, ratified.

In order to meet regulations including those for export once older cattle can re-enter the food chain, all cattle over 12 months old will have to be de-boned at a licensed plant and vacuum packed.

“As long as we are incinerating all cattle over 30 months old then we are exempt from the rule,” said Mr Kyle who started one of the first on-farm butchery businesses in Cumbria at Harper Hill, Roweltown, Carlisle in 1975 and until his retirement April 2003 he ran NK Meats in Brampton for 23 years with his wife Judy.

“Now we are going to bring 30 month old cattle back into the food chain top get our exports back we have got to comply with EU rules.”

High street 'craft' butchers, which Mr Kyle says retail two thirds of British farmers' produce, will be hit because they hang their beef on the bone to promote extra quality and tenderness of the beef.

Now, on top of slaughtering costs, these butchers will have to pay on average an extra £21 a head to send their cattle carcases after hanging to a licensed boning plant.

“We're going to have to transfer that cost to the housewife by putting up the price of beef and ultimately the farmer will suffer.

“It also means that the consumer will once again not be able to buy a rib of beef or T bone steaks which has an effect on consumer confidence in beef.”

A two-year beef on the bone ban introduced after the 1996 BSE crisis was lifted in December 1999 by the government and announced by then agriculture minister Nick Brown following advice from chief medical officers.

At the time of the announcement Mr Brown said: “This lifting of the ban has been long awaited and I am delighted that it can now go ahead. The announcement will bring a welcome boost to the beef industry in what continue to be difficult times.”

Mr Kyle said that when he first started in the butchery business his costs were 19 per cent of turnover. Now many high street butchers costs were running at between 42 and 45 per cent with those in London approaching 60 per cent.

When the ban becomes effective depends on the re-introduction of over 30 month old beef to the food chain.

This was expected to be in June this year however, as the government has yet to perfect tests with 24-hour results which will be carried out on older beef carcases before they can enter the food chain, this could now be September at the earliest.

The news comes on the back of a record year for beef sales during 2004, said Mr Kyle.

In October, the 40,000 head of cattle sold processed over butchers' counters was topped and sales continued at a rate of 42,500 cattle a week during five weeks in December, partly due to the ending of the slaughter premium.

While he was not so optimistic that the trend would continue during 2005 because of increased mortgage rates and higher oil prices, beef sales for the early part of this year have also been good.