A Sydney butcher who used illegal additives to make meat appear more appealing has been fined over A$9,000 by the Chief Industrial Magistrates Court, relating to four offences under the New South Wales Food Act. New South Wales Food Authority’s Acting CEO, Craig Sahlin, said the court’s decision to fine Abdul Hassan, trading as Green Valley Halal Meats a total of A$9,000 plus costs was a stern reminder to those who flout food safety laws. An officer from the NSW Authority visited Green Valley... ...Read more »

A new Meat Standards Australia (MSA) symbol that identifies beef that has met an independent consumer standard for tenderness, juiciness and flavour, has been rolled out to butchers and fresh food retailers across Australia. Featuring Australia’s traditional colours, the green and gold ‘MSA graded’ symbol will be positioned as a quality mark, indicating that brands have been graded to meet MSA standards. The MSA grading system was developed by the beef industry in 1999. Nearly 90,000 consumers... ...Read more »

The NSW Food Authority has swooped in on illegal backyard ready-to-eat meat manufacturers, issuing 27 penalty notices, five improvement notices, four prohibition orders and ten warning letters. “An investigation was conducted following concerns at a growing number of dodgy backyard butchers producing ready to eat meat products,” said Primary Industries Minister Steve Whan. Minister Whan said that ‘ready to eat meat’ refers to meat products that may be raw, uncooked, cooked,... ...Read more »

A NSW Government crackdown on illegal “backyard ” meat processors in Sydney has today shutdown seven unlicensed operators from selling high-risk smallgood products. Inspectors from the NSW Food Authority targeted illicit meat processors, issuing prohibition orders and confiscating almost 120 kilograms of homemade nem chua – a Vietnamese-style fermented pork mince. NSW Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald said that it served as a warning to anyone happy to flout the law. “The... ...Read more »

A survey of butchers who sell organic meat by consumer group Choice has found there is widespread confusion in the information provided to consumers about what the term ‘organic’ means and who certifies it. Currently, the consumer group notes, anyone in Australia can use the term ‘organic’ but consumers can be assured a product is what it claims to be if it is approved by a certifying body. Out of 29 butchers in Sydney and Melbourne, only 11 were able to advise correctly as... ...Read more »

New research into meat purchases released this week has suggested a change of shopping behaviour amongst Australian consumers. In a recent survey of nearly 11,000 Australians, commissioned by Australia’s largest specialty chicken retailer Lenard’s, over 57 per cent said that they intended to ‘save’ or ‘pay off debts’ with their Federal Government Stimulus payment and, in keeping with this prudence, they are turning away from more ‘luxury’ meats such... ...Read more »

In 1854, Ike Hill took a job as a ‘Butcherboy’ on a convict ship bound for Australia. Since then the Hill family has been involved in butcher retailing and lamb exporting and wholesaling, trading under the name of “Hills of Darling” throughout most of the 80s and 90s. Now, 5th generation family member, Nick Hill, has decided to change the way meat is typically sold. Research shows that of the 70% of people that buy their meat at supermarkets, most do so due to convenience... ...Read more »

Butchers have reported a rise in sales in April compared to March, although results were mixed in comparison to last year. The Millward Brown monthly survey of Australian butchers suggested the stimulus package and a trend toward eating at home provided a boost to butchers last month. In April, 46% of respondents reported ‘very good to excellent’ beef sales, up from 44% in March, but below responses in April 2008 (52%). For lamb, 43% of butchers surveyed noted that sales were ‘very... ...Read more »

A new study has discovered that the recession is being felt throughout the grocery store, and especially in the meat department. Economic woes are affecting where people shop for meat as well as the kind of cut, brand and quantity purchased, according to the fourth edition of the Power of Meat, a joint study by the American Meat Institute and the Food Marketing Institute, which goes beyond findings in Australia and the UK that cheaper cuts of meat had garnered strong support. While shoppers are eating... ...Read more »

The NSW Government will take Independent MP Richard Torbay’s truth in meat labelling bill to the other states for immediate action, Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald said yesterday.The proposed Bill makes it an offence to falsely describe meat including beef, sheep, goat and pig in advertising, packaging, or labelling. “I fully support Mr Torbay’s push – it will not only meet consumer needs but it will boost domestic meat sales and create more jobs,” Mr Macdonald... ...Read more »