FROM A Secretary of State to Jimmy Doherty of Jimmy’s Farm, the incredibly diverse shortlist of nominees for the Special Achievement Award in the 2013 Footprint Awards, has been announced today. The award – sponsored by BaxterStorey – recognises individual contribution to environmental, social and [...]
DEFRA
NATIONAL FARMERS UNION leader Peter Kendall has seen members endure a miserable 10 months but concerns over food security, prices and sourcing in the wake of the horse meat scandal could offer new opportunities, he tells David Burrows. To travel 600 miles [...]
THE EUROPEAN Commission wants to impose “truly dissuasive” fines in a bid to combat food fraud. The proposal is part of a package of food safety measures published this week. Health commissioner Tonio Borg said the package would simplify the rules for safer food, [...]
RESTRICTIONS ON THE pesticides some blame for harming bee populations moved a step closer today. In all, 15 European Member States supported a ban on three neonicotinoid pesticides. Eight countries voted against the ban and four abstained. Given that a qualified majority was not [...]
RETAILERS IN NORTHERN Ireland have called on the government and customers to “be patient” as they get used to the new plastic bag tax launched today, April 8th, 2013. Retailers and businesses in Northern Ireland must now charge at least five pence for each new single use [...]
IN EUROPE, genetically modified crops have remained in labs while the rest of the world plants more and more. Does the technology need a champion? It seemed apt that the Footprint Forum to discuss the sensitive issue of genetically modified (GM) crops took place in [...]
THE GOVERNMENT is at the centre of storm brewing between environmentalists and agri-chemical companies over the use of some pesticides. Neonicotinoids are commonly used in Europe to control pests on oilseed rape and other crops. Environmental campaigners and organic groups believe they are harming honeybee [...]
HORSE MEAT in school meals, pork in prisoners’ halal pies and a damning verdict on hospital catering have meant a troubled start to 2013 for catering companies. It might be a silly superstition, but 2013 is not turning out well for companies [...]
The political print: The blame game
By footprint on April 2, 2013
Published in: Comment, News Analysis and tagged City University, DEFRA, Department of Health, Food Standards Agency, FSA, Horse meat, Nick Hughes, The Political Print.
NO SOONER had the horse meat scandal erupted than the blame game began. ’Twas ever thus. Every scandal needs a villain and there’s no more convenient villain than one that is unidentifiable. And so retailers, the UK government and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) were united [...]