Minutes of meeting held on 3 February 2005

Minutes of Foodaware meetings

CFG 05/05

Foodaware: the Consumers’ Food Group

Minutes of the fifteenth meeting – held on 3 February 2005 at UK European Parliament, Queen Anne’s Gate, London, SW1

Matters arising:
   Vice-chair elections
   VMD Liaison meeting with consumer organisations
   FSA Working Party on Chemical Contaminants in Food (WPCC)
   GM food and feed regulation
   Five Year Freeze campaign
   Solvit
UK Co-ordinator’s report and EU Update
Presentation by the Government Chief Veterinary Officer, Defra
Zoonoses especially TSEs
Priorities for food-related research
Nutrition labelling
Prescribed quantities

PRESENT

Members:

Judy Brander - National Council of Women of GB
Erica Bargman - European Union of Women
Jonathan Clogstoun-Willmott - Age Concern Scotland
Gilli Davies - Advisory Committee to FSA Wales
Margaret Foss - National Federation of Women’s Institutes
John Godfrey - ERICA, FSA Consumer Committee
Sheila Graham - Veterinary Products Committee
Fiona Hodgson - ex Committee on Animal Feedingstuff
Dr A.Majid Katme - Muslim Council of Britain
Susan Knox - Chair and Meat Hygiene Policy Forum, Enforcement Liaison Group
Helen Millar - National Consumer Federation
Penny McNeill - General Consumer Council for N.I.
Stella Nicholas - National Consumer Federation
Sue Payne - National Consumer Federation
Pamela Pollock - Townswomen’s Guilds
Deborah Reynolds - Chief Veterinary Officer, Defra
Jacquie Salfield - Institute of Consumer Sciences
Christine Sanderson-Fagan Soroptimist International UK
Barbara Saunders - Independent Enquiry into failures in BSE Testing
Shree Om Parkash Sharma - National Council of Hindu Temples
John Verrall - Veterinary Products Committee
Katy Waters - National Childbirth Trust

Foodaware:

Ann Davison - Manager
Lucy Harris - UK Co-ordinator
Jane Jeffreys - Foodaware, Administrative support
Tara Taubman - Volunteer

Apologies:

Carolyn Ainsbury - FSA Scotland
Carolyn Allen - Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals & Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment
Paul Allen - European Food Law Association UK
Dozie Azubike - Advisory Committee on Animal Feedingstuffs
Jaswinder Bangar - FSA, Consumer Branch
Les Bailey - LACORS
Ruth Bond - Working Party on Chemical Contaminants
Anne Clayson - Pesticides Residues Committee
Dorothy Craig - Veterinary Residues Committee
Catherine Humphries - The Cooperative Group, UK
Susanna Lewis - Advisory Committee on Organic Standards
Jeanette Longfield - Sustain
Diane McCrea - Advisory Committee on Animal Feedingstuffs
Charlotte Meller - LACORS
Dilwen Phillips - Advisory Committee for Wales
David Pickering - Trading Standards Institute
Michelle Smyth - Which?
Stella Walsh - National Consumer Federation
Grace Wedekind - International Council of Women
Anne Wilson - Meat Hygiene Advisory Committee
Alma Williams - Committee on Toxicity and EESC

FOODAWARE BUSINESS MEETING

1. Welcome and apologies for absence

The Chair (Susan Knox) welcomed everyone to the fifteenth meeting of Foodaware especially those who had not previously attended a meeting. She invited participants to introduce themselves. It was noted that apologies would be included in the minutes.

2. Minutes of the last meeting (CFG 23/04)

The draft minutes of the November meeting had been circulated with the meeting papers. There were no amendments and they were agreed as a true record of the meeting.

3. Matters arising

a) Vice-chair elections

Susan explained that the positions of vice-chairs were due for election this month. However, she asked members to support a delay as the Steering Committee was having talks with FSA about its role (as part of an FSA review of its relationships with stakeholders). Elections could then take place once any changes to Foodaware’s role had been clarified.

Members agreed to a delay. They thought it was important to get the balance right between policy work and training and support work. They emphasised the usefulness of work that cut across several areas.

b) VMD Liaison meeting with consumer organisations - 31 March 2005

The next Veterinary Medicines Directorate’s liaison meeting with consumer organisations was due to be held on 31 March. Members agreed that Foodaware should be represented at this meeting. However, they expressed concern that date was just a few days after Easter and thought it might be difficult finding someone to attend.

Action: Lucy to contact the VMD and ask them to consider changing the date.

c) FSA Working Party on Chemical Contaminants in Food (WPCC)

FSA had asked Foodaware to help find a suitable candidate for the vacant consumer position on the WPCC. Two members indicated that they might be able to help.

Action: Lucy to coordinate response to FSA.

d) GM food and feed regulation

Foodaware had received a letter from FSA concerning products produced by a fermentation process using a genetically modified micro-organism. These didn’t fall within scope of regulations regarding authorisation and labelling since no detectable GM material was in the final product. Some members expressed their view that all GM processes should be labelled regardless of whether it was detectable in the final product. It was agreed that, since this was not a formal consultation, a response was not necessary. A review of the groups’ policies on GM might be helpful in the near future.

e) Five Year Freeze campaign

Lucy had been sent a newsletter produced by the Five Year Freeze campaign and had been asked to draw this to the attention of Foodaware members interested in GM issues. The newsletter was available in the room.

f) Solvit

The European Commission had sent Susan brochures explaining the new Solvit service that was an on-line problem-solving network. EU Member States worked together to solve issue arising from the misapplication of Internal Market law by public authorities. Members were invited to take a copy.

4. UK Co-ordinator’s report and EU Update

The UK Co-ordinator’s report had been circulated by email. Lucy said it would be updated and finalised before being sent to FSA together with the minutes of the meeting. It was primarily for information.

The EU Update paper described the state-of-play concerning the EU Organic Action Plan; GM issues; the Sugar Regime; the Fruit and Vegetables Regime; the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control; Official controls concerned with feed and food law, animal health and welfare rules; Materials and articles in contact with food, and the new EU Fisheries Control Agency.

A question was raised about the implications of lower sugar prices and how this might impact on consumers’ health. All agreed on the need to reduce sugar consumption from a health point of view. However, maintaining artificially high prices due to agricultural subsidies was not the answer either. It was noted that the European Food Safety Authority was looking at the issue of sugar consumption and diabetes.

John Godfrey welcomed the opening of the new European Centre for Disease Prevention in Stockholm. He said how important it was to prepare for new emerging diseases by ensuring sufficient vaccine production facilities were operational.

5a. Deborah Reynolds, Government Chief Veterinary Officer, Defra

Susan Knox welcomed and introduced Debby Reynolds, the Chief Veterinary Officer, and thanked her for coming to share her thoughts with Foodaware members.

The Chief Veterinary Officer said she was delighted to have the opportunity to attend the meeting. Her presentation covers the following areas:

Defra’s Five Year Strategy
Targets on animal health and welfare
Animal health and welfare strategy and its implementation

Engaging with consumer interest groups
Questions and discussion
1. Defra's Five Year Strategy was published in December 2004. It highlighted five strategic priorities. These were: to give environmental leadership; put sustainable development into practice (helping to create a sustainable food and farming supply chain serving the market and the environment); regulate better; protect the nation from emergencies; and change the way they worked.
2. Defra was committed to deliver against its Public Service Agreement target (PSA9) “to improve the health and welfare of kept animals, and protect society from the impact of animal diseases, through sharing the management of risk with industry”. This included various specific targets: reducing the prevalence of scrapies; reducing the number of cases of BSE with complete eradication by 2010; reducing the spread of Bovine TB; and a goal of 90% of livestock holdings to have an auditable farm health plan by 2014.
3. The Animal Health and Welfare Strategy for Great Britain was launched in June 2004 following public consultation. It promoted a partnership approach with Government only intervening where there was a clear public interest in doing so: to protect human health; to ensure animal health and welfare policy helped to protect the interests of the wider economy, environment and society; to facilitate international trade; to protect and promote animal welfare.
  
  Five strategic outcomes had been highlighted:
  - ‘working in partnership’ with all those with an interest in animal health and welfare;
  - ‘prevention is better than cure’ i.e. promoting the benefits of ensuring that all animals are cared for appropriately and in accordance with acceptable welfare standards;
  - ‘understanding and acceptance of roles and responsibilities’ amongst and between animal owners, Veterinary surgeons, food chain businesses, consumers and interest groups;
  - ‘ensuring a clear understanding of the costs and benefits’ of animal health and welfare practices throughout the food chain and including government intervention;
  - ‘delivering and enforcing animal health and welfare standards effectively’ including the use of appropriate incentives and sanctions.
    
    Also in June 2004 Defra published its Animal Health and Welfare Strategy Implementation Plan for England. This explained the range of Government activities in animal health and welfare delivered through a wide range of mechanisms. It covered large programmes of related work e.g. Disease Prevention, Veterinary Surveillance Strategy, Livestock Identification and Tracing, Exotic Diseases and Emergency Preparedness.
4. Delivery partners were of great importance in achieving these goals. Engaging with consumer interest groups was part of this, along with local authorities, the Meat Hygiene Service, State Veterinary Service (SVS) etc. Although consumers had the power to influence policy, problems existed including fragmentation, the need for earlier engagement, poor resources, difficulties in keeping in touch with what was happening and how to prioritise between many consultations. Defra wanted to develop a clear strategy for better engagement with consumer groups with a more regional and local approach.
  
  To conclude, she mentioned the following issues that she thought would be of interest to Foodaware:
  - Role of the UK in Europe on animal health and welfare issues. A Commission Communication to be published in 2007 could be influenced as the UK was on the steering group and would hold the Presidency in the second half of 2005.
  - TB and cattle - difficult scientific questions (animal health and wildlife issue) especially affecting the SW, Wales and Midlands.
  - Exotic diseases and contingency planning - made significant progress on this.
5. Questions and discussion:
  
  New and emerging zoonotic diseases
  
  Question: How to plan for outbreaks of exotic diseases, such as SARS and Avian ‘flu, is crucial e.g. vaccine production? Need for coordinated efforts with Dept of Health.
  
  Answer: These are usually a result of human interventions including globalisation of trade, increased air travel etc. Contingency planning needs to be both generic and specific. Need to be forward looking - Foresight Panel on detection and identification of diseases (2020 - 2080) is being established with Lord Whitty as Chair.
  
  Feeding practices
  
  Question: Concern about milk consumption and BSE and particular concerns in the Hindu community about feeding practices (not acceptable to include remnants of other animals in animal feed). There is a need for strict labelling in relation to feeding practices to enable consumer choice.
  
  Answer: Feeding of mammalian protein to farm animals now banned across the EU and included in international codes of practice. There is no suggestion that milk safety has been affected.
  
  Question: Concern about mechanically recovered meat being fed to poultry in Canada, and cows found to be eating poultry feed.
  
  Answer: Problem of cross-contamination in feed production units where pig and poultry feed may contain meat and bone meal. Improved standards of surveillance in Canada had exposed this problem.
  
  Question: Concern about influence of advertising by feed industry to farmers - something that Defra should look at.
  
  Answer: Animal Health and Welfare Strategy (England) Implementation Advisory Group - about to advertise for Board members with an independent chair to advise herself and the Minister, Ben Bradshaw MP. One seat will be for consumer interest.
  
  BSE in goats
  
  Question: What were the implications of the identification of BSE in a French goat? Did this mean there was a higher risk than previously thought for sheep? Concern because scrapie could be passed on from one sheep to another.
  
  Answer: Surveillance of goats would be stepped up in the light of this development. Comparatively few goats kept in UK (60,000) compared to southern European countries. Tests were taking time due to the scientific uncertainty surrounding this. However, it was important to invest in science and to strengthen surveillance. The National Scrapie Plan included working towards increasing resistance to scrapie in the breeding stock.
  
  Veterinary medicines
  
  Question: Concern about vets prescribing and providing veterinary drugs - these roles should be separate (as with human medicines).
  
  Answer: VMD consultation out on this at present.
  
  Question: What was happening regarding the restructuring of the medicines advisory committees?
  
  Answer: To follow up after the meeting.
  
  Standards and Enforcement
  
  Question: How would changes taking place enhance enforcement standards at TSO/EHO level?
  
  Answer: Framework agreement being established between Defra and local authorities (includes SVS) to set out minimum standards. A website and database being established to ensure consistency and sharing of information. Enforcement bodies must have a clear policy.
  
  Question: Concern about standards of imports from third countries outside the EU.
  
  Answer: Imports from third countries have to meet equivalent standards including for meat and meat products. Enforced through an international audit.
  
  Question: Pig and veal imports from other EU countries not up to UK standards.
  
  Answer: UK does have some differing welfare standards (not health and safety). Some time before all EU member states reach goal on this. Animal Health and Welfare Strategy details how welfare improvements would be implemented.
  
  Question: Should HACCP be applied to farm management?
  
  Answer: Working group on this. Idea for farm owners to have farm health plan on species by species basis though not a thorough as full HACCP approach.
  
  Engaging with consumers
  
  Question: Is there a wider strategy within Defra for engaging with consumers? How best can Defra reach consumers at regional and local level? Is Defra assessing the impact of consumer engagement? How can the public participate in setting research priorities?
  
  Answer: Part of Sustainable Food and Farming Strategy. Needs to be a consistent approach by Defra, Scottish Executive, Welsh Assembly and Northern Ireland Office. Aiming to establish regional groupings between officials and local communities. Got to talk directly to people to engage their hearts and minds in the issues. The Netherlands have interesting model for assessing impact of consumer involvement. Defra Scientific Advisory Council may in future meet in public.
  
  Ann Davison added: Foodaware has a wide mass membership through its member organisations with good regional spread and representation. It educates its members on such issues as Foot and Mouth Disease (vaccination policy). Foodaware also nominates consumer representatives to Defra committees where possible and helps train and support such representatives.
  
  The Chief Veterinary Officer said she greatly appreciated the opportunity to meet Foodaware members and have such a lively exchange on these issues. The Chair thanked her, on behalf of members, for making the time to come to the meeting and was sure the positive dialogue would continue.
5b. Zoonoses especially TSEs - a summary of proposed new legislation

Ann Davison introduced the draft paper (CFG 02/05) on the risks of BSE in cattle, sheep and goats and on the incorporation of EU amendments related to specified risk material into UK legislation. She said the recent announcement confirming a French goat to have BSE had implications for sheep and goats more widely. The Commission had amended the rules on specified risk material (SRM) applicable in the UK since August 2002. The government was now proposing to incorporate these into UK legislation but was consulting first. The FSA would have the opportunity to raise legitimate concerns with the Commission.

Members supported the view expressed in draft paper that SRM rules for cattle should not be relaxed at this time. They also agreed that the SRM rules for sheep and goats should be tightened and that animal hides should not be allowed back into the food chain.

Action: It was agreed that the paper should be developed further with more prominence being given to Foodaware’s opposition to the reintroduction of animal products into animal feed. It would be worth checking NCC and Which?’s views on these matters. Members to forward further comments to Ann Davison.

Due to severe time constraints, discussion on the remaining items was limited to a few minutes.

6. Priorities for food-related research

Ann explained that the draft paper (CFG 01/05) had been based on a presentation she gave at the FSA conference last November. Members agreed that greater emphasis could be put on nutrition issues and particularly the need for research into the psychological and sociological factors affecting people’s eating habits. Research into how people actually respond to specific food-related health messages and campaigns would be worthwhile.

Action: Members to email comments on the paper to Ann Davison within the next week or so.

7. Nutrition labelling

Ann reported that FSA had been testing various ‘signposting’ labelling options on consumers. These were being developed further in consultation with industry, consumer groups and public health groups. Therefore it did not seem a sensible use of Foodaware’s limited resources to do its own survey at this time. NCF and GCCNI said they would work on the draft questionnaire with a view to surveying their own members. They would send any feedback to Foodaware.

Action: it was agreed that members should send their views on the FSA work (see FSA News 44) to Lucy who would collate these and forward to FSA.

8. Prescribed quantities

Ann introduced the draft paper (CFG 03/05) that had been based on members’ previous comments on this issue. Members reiterated their view that standard sizes for basic foodstuffs should be maintained and expressed concern at the Commission proposals to abolish prescribed quantities.

Action: Further comments should be emailed to Ann Davison.

10. Any other business

Action:

c) 2005 meeting dates:

Thursday, 28 April
Thursday, 21 July
Thursday, 24 November