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Three cases of excess carcase trimming have been recorded in one beef factory this year.
The Department of Agriculture would not name the factory, but confirmed to the Irish Farmers Journal that its beef carcase classification (BCC) officers had applied the standard on-the-spot fine.
“There were three carcases penalised in one factory for non-compliance regarding carcase trim,” a spokesperson for the Department said.
“The company concerned was penalised a total of €600 [€200 per carcase] and this fine has been paid by the factory.”
The spokesperson added that the name of any factory that was found to be non-compliant would be published on the Department’s website “in due course”.
Whistleblower
The news follows revelations from a Department whistle-blower, published by this paper last week, that he felt he was effectively silenced by the Department when he reported excess trimming in a factory in 2011.
Last year, 21 reported cases of excess trimming sparked farmer outrage and after much controversy the Department published the names of the factories involved, which included Emerald Isle Foods, Kildare Chilling and Kepak Clare.
In response, Minister Michael Creed announced that 150 veterinary inspectors operating across 32 factories would have authority to raise concerns over excess trimming, but there are just seven BCC officers who can apply a €200 on-the-spot fine.
BCC officers aim to inspect plants every two weeks and last year 85 carcases were inspected at each factory. This was more than double the legal minimum requirement of 40.
Apart from 2016, the Department reported no other cases of excess trimming in factories in the last decade.
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