10 December 2008
The Minister for Food and Horticulture, Trevor Sargent TD, has announced a procedure wherby organic pigmeat producers can retail their products. The procedure, agreed by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food along with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland requires that the producer provide documentary proof of the safety of their produce.
Three stringent conditions are stipulated, as follows:
The Organic producer must provide documentary evidence to prove to DAFF or Local Authority Veterinary Officers that:
1. No contaminated animal feed material from the Millstream Recycling Plant, Clohamon Mills, Co. Carlow was procured and consumed by animals on the particular farm from September 1st 2008.
2. No pigs which had consumed contaminated material had been introduced onto that particular organic farm. Proof of the herd of origin must be supplied, which shows that no pigs originated from any holding restricted by DAFF.
3. The pigs were not slaughtered and processed in premises which also handle pigs from farms where the contaminated animal feed material was used.
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