In mid November the Director-General accepted an invitation to be a speaker at a seminar being held by the East Midlands Branch of the Institute of Trading Standards Officers.  At a well attended meeting he was able to convey the problems which the membership across all sectors suffers from inconsistent enforcement of food law in which TSO’s become involved.  He also highlighted the difficulties the industry faces with TSO’s enforcing one part of food law ie, labelling, weights and measures etc. whilst Environmental Health Officers deal principally with food safety issues.  In a very straight-talking question and answer session it became very clear that there was a gulf of misunderstanding between TSO’s and the industry which only closer liaison, more goodwill and a frank exchange of information and views could surmount.

It transpired that in many instances BFFF was making its members aware of forthcoming, and even current, legislation before local TSO’s had received sufficiently full and clear information from their information sources.  BFFF offered to supply our T&L update and our Fish Briefings to the Institute so that they could be copied and circulated to local Trading Standards Officers throughout the East Midlands Region, enabling them to be fully informed of new developments.

Detailed discussion took place over the principle of Home Authority jurisdiction and also, where problems were apparent, the basic principle of going back to the “mixing bowl”, in the production unit, rather than relying on analysis or review of a few packs picked up by TSO’s from a single retail outlet.

The meeting ended with a much enhanced level of understanding than had previously been the case and we thought it prudent to let all our members know that, as well as seeking to influence policy-making bodies at a national and international level, that a close rapport with local authorities remains essential and the work BFFF is doing to keep the lines of communication open to the advantage of the members.

Back