
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has revealed that there is strong support for its proposed changes to the way that it plans to modernise the way inspectors carry out ‘official controls’ in meat plants.
Earlier this year, the FSA launched a consultation on the proposed changes called the Future Delivery Model, which ran from May to July 2021. The consultation looked at areas of reform to be phased in over the coming years. The new proposed approach is about using modern ways of working, including technology and intelligence, as well as a more risk-based and proportionate approach.
The FSA also mentioned that there is a need to create more of an onus on industry to enact their primary responsibility for consistently producing food to the required standards, with the FSA as the regulator, monitoring and verifying.
In a report to the FSA board, it highlighted challenges of the changes including the obligations under exports, the regulatory burden on smaller businesses, the ability of small to medium businesses to be able to take advantages of the flexibilities facilitated by modern technology.