May 14, 2010

Food Chain Information document - "Another piece of pointless paperwork"

The Food Chain Information document required for all cattle being slaughtered from Monday, 17 May 2010 has been described as another pointless piece of paperwork by Mr. Kevin Connolly, Chairperson of ICMSA's Beef and Cattle Committee. Mr Connolly said that if this was the simplification of the paperwork process promised by the Department and the EU Commission then he'd hate to see those bodies trying to complicate the system.

"Unless the farmer has this form completed, his or her cattle will not be slaughtered and this is just plainly ridiculous. The form is just another layer of useless bureaucracy that demands that the    farmer confirm that he or she is meeting certain requirements that are already being checked before an animal is slaughtered or checked through post-slaughter testing. Farmers are absolutely sick and tired of pointless regulations and paperwork requirements and this form is just another example of needless paperwork and bureaucracy for bureaucracy's sake", stated Mr Connolly.

"It is quite clear that farmers are being fooled when they are told by the regulators that simplification of the process is one of the official's priorities. If that was really the case then this form would not have been introduced in the first place and would now be scrapped immediately because it is utterly pointless and a ridiculous duplication. Common sense is required in drafting regulations and it is about time that our Department and the EU Commission recognised this and implemented sensible regulations in a way that minimises the cost and inconvenience for farmers. ICMSA accepts the need for regulation but we cannot accept stupid and pointless requirements like this new form", concluded the Beef Chairman.

Ends.          14 May 2010.

Kevin Connolly, 087-9381171

Chairman, ICMSA Beef & Cattle Committee

 Or

 Cathal MacCarthy, 087-6168758

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