Horsemeat Scandal

The horsemeat scandal continues to rumble on, albeit not quite making the headline news it commanded for nearly a month.  One thing that most people, including those close to the agricultural industry, let alone the general public, are astounded by is the length of the supply chain and the number of ‘processes’ involved in getting certain types of processed meats from ‘farm to fork’.  It now appears that investigations are surrounding a few rogue suppliers who have managed to profit from the increasing demand for cheap food.  But how this latest food scare has affected consumers is difficult to judge.

From a business and beef producer point of view farmgate cattle process have remained firm.  After a couple of steady weeks, prices have strengthened again in the week ending 15^th February with GB steers at auctions increasing by 2.9p per kg liveweighton week earlier levels to 200p per kg liveweight, in the same week heifers increased by 1.5p per kg lw to average 203.4p per kg lw.  Deadweight prices also saw a week on week increase as R4L steers were up 0.7p per kg dw to 372.3p per kg dw.  Interestingly both deadweight and liveweight cows, usually destined for the cheaper end of the market including processed meat saw the largest week on week rises up 3.8p per kg and 3.6p per kg respectively on week earlier levels.

Perhaps it is too early to tell, but from farmgate prices, there doesn’t seem to have been a ‘crash’ in the beef market.  Whether consumers will look at their eating habits and change to sourcing more home brands, better quality and using their local butcher remains to be seen.  The NFU has launched a ‘Buy British’ campaign placing adverts in the national newspapers with the slogan ‘Great British farmers are Proud to Produce Great British Food’.  Whatever the outcome there appears to be a need to shorten the supply chain and to ensure more auditing is carried out along the way.