FSA chiefs urged to ‘consider their positions’ amid food scandal

Food Standards Agency chiefs have been urged to “consider their positions” following the publication of Farmers Weekly’s food fraud and safety investigation.

Norman Bagley, head of policy at the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (Aims), said it had become clear that senior management at the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) had “failed to protect the public and honest companies from the risks to human health and fraud”.

See more: Exclusive – Massive food fraud and safety scandal engulfs sector

“Not only do they have serious questions to answer, but management at the highest levels now need to consider their positions,” he added.

Mr Bagley’s comments came as top food crime expert Chris Elliott warned that the scandal was “more worrying” than horsegate.

Speaking to Times Radio alongside Farmers Weekly deputy editor Abi Kay on Thursday (30 March), Prof Elliott said the food safety aspects of the investigation – coupled with his own intelligence – showed there were “major issues which really need to be addressed”.

“Governmental inspections have reduced dramatically – that’s one factor – but also there’s a whole industry around audits and inspections right across the UK and most of it is not worth the money that people spend on it,” he added. 

Prof Elliott went on to back Farmers Weekly’s call for a move to digital record keeping in the industry, describing the idea of using handwritten records as “crazy”.

He said: “Profit margins are very low and those profits are being squeezed by the cost-of-living crisis, so it wouldn’t be seen to be a good time for investment.

“But if the industry wants to avoid future scandals and loss of confidence in consumers, it is really time to step up to the mark and say ‘we have got to do this’.

“It has to be a joint effort – government and industry working together.”