New agency will watch over food transport
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• by Karen Miles The Government's new Food Standards Agency will have the power to intervene if hauliers are jeopardising food safety.
The single body proposed by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Department of Health will control and regulate food safety and standards in the UK, including those concerning the transport of livestock, fresh meat and other foods, according to draft legislation published last week.
The draft bill, which has been put out to consultation until 24 March, also makes provision for strengthening the food safety powers available to the new body.
The Government is currently discussing whether the new organisation will become an enforcement body, or whether the present network of Ministry of Agriculture and local authority officers will remain employed where they are. lhe Food Standards Agency will have the right to decide its own remit and will advise ministers, Parliament, consumers and the food industry on improving food safety For example, it could decide to investigate claims by the RSPCA that overcrowded lorries can lead to sheep and cattle being covered by faeces which can lead to contamination from the deadly E coil bacterium.
The Freight Transport Association has already told the House of Commons Agriculture Committee inquiry into food safety that existing legislation ensures safe food transit—but the law must be properly enforced.
Public concern over food safety follows the BSE crisis and worries over rising levels of food poisoning.
The body's directorates include experts from the Government's existing Food Safety and Standards Group.