FSA Response to Farming Regulation Task Force

The task force's remit was to identify ways to reduce the regulatory burden on farmers and food processors whilst maintaining high environmental, welfare and safety standards.

Nov 4 2011 --- The Westminster Government, through the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), has published an initial response to the Task Force on Farming Regulation, including a response from the FSA.

The independent Farming Regulation Task Force, chaired by Richard Macdonald, published its report on 17 May 2011. The task force's remit was to identify ways to reduce the regulatory burden on farmers and food processors whilst maintaining high environmental, welfare and safety standards.

The task force made more than 200 recommendations covering the full range of the regulatory landscape that affects farming. Of these, 19 were addressed directly to the FSA.

The FSA Board considered the task force report at its meeting in July 2011 (a news story issued then is available below). The decision was taken that the Agency would support the majority of the task force recommendations that fall within its remit. However, the Board rejected for now the recommendation to set up a group to consider the criteria for accepting meat inspection services by third parties. This was discussed further at the Board meeting in September, and there was agreement to invite the meat industry to take the lead in demonstrating the feasibility for any alternatives to the current delivery model, with the FSA providing support and advice.