Two leading New Zealand based primary producers have announced the signing of a heads of agreement with PGG Wrightson to purchase a 50 per cent stake in Silver Fern Farms. PGG Wrightson, a rural servicing firm, and Silver Ferns, a meat marketing and processing co-operative, believe the deal will create an improved and more integrated supply chain. “There are very clear synergies, in terms of cost and performance benefits, that both parties bring to the table,” SFF Chairman Eoin Garden... ...Read more »

The manager of the Cootamundra abattoir blamed for the recall of lamb products at Woolworths last week has left the company. Woolworths were forced to recall thousands of lamb products last Friday as a precautionary measure due to a strange odour emanating from the product upon opening. The blame was attributed to the GM Scott abbatoir in Cootamundra with some lamb product exposed to vapours from the resurfacing of the floor at the facility. The recall accounted for approximately four per cent of... ...Read more »

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has published a survey on Salmonella levels detected in slaughtered pigs across the EU in 2006-07 indicating that Salmonella was found in one in ten pigs for human consumption. Salmonella was estimated on average to be present in 10.3 per cent of pigs slaughtered for human consumption, according to the EU-wide report from an EFSA Task Force. Levels for Salmonella detected in pigs varied from 0% to 29% between Member States. Among all Salmonella detected,... ...Read more »

Dutch producer and exporter of high quality meat products, Zwanenberg Food Group, will expand its interests in Australia by acquiring the Plumrose brand from Simplot. Until now, Zwanenberg has produced meat preserves (mainly ham products and frankfurters) for Simplot, which were sold under the Plumrose brand on the Australian market. However, they have now concluded that the Australia could provide sound growth for their company. “The Australian market has considerable growth potential,”... ...Read more »

The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) is calling for Country of Origin labelling to be strengthened as the Senate Inquiry into Meat Marketing in Australia continues. Country of Origin labelling is a concept which has already been witnessed in the seafood industry but other the meat industry has not been subject to similar laws. As a result the Senate initiated an inquiry by the Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport into meat marketing in March this year. The inquiry... ...Read more »

Retailers, including Coles and Woolworths, are working with the Office of Fair Trading to identify a brand of tongs which is believed to be the possible cause of metal found in food products around Australia in recent months. A joint national police investigation led by the Queensland Police Service in conjunction with Queensland Health and other State Health Authorities was carried out in relation to the matter. The investigation established that there was no evidence of criminal activity or poor... ...Read more »

A survey published yesterday by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has ignited concern about the safety of European commercial turkey meat for human consumption. The report, completed by an EFSA Task Force on European farms in 2006-07, found a full range of Salmonella types were estimated to be present in almost one third of turkey flocks reared for human consumption (30.7%) and in 13.6% of turkey flocks kept for breeding purposes. Amongst the full range of Salmonella types, Salmonella Enteritidis... ...Read more »

A piece of metal has been found in pre-packaged sausages at a supermarket in South Australia. The supermarket, located in Gawler, has yet to be named and there have been no product recalls at this stage. A connection between this case and recent similar incidents in Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia has not been established however the recent spate of meat contamination is cause for concern.  Read More →

Data on meat production in Australia for the month of February was released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The ABS reported that seasonally adjusted trends for production of beef, mutton, veal, lamb and pig meat were all done on last month’s trend figures. Beef production did increase by 30,000 tonnes on last month’s figures but was still down by 14,000 tonnes on the corresponding month last year. Veal and lamb production figures were down both on last month and corresponding... ...Read more »