Industry has been left surprised by a Food Standards Agency (FSA) decision to put its plans to directly employ abattoir vets on hold.
The move was broadly supported by the meat sector as it was expected that job security and civil service career pathways would help with recruitment and retention of official veterinarians, which are in short supply.
Butan FSA calculation that costs to the sector would increase by 7-10 per cent over the next two years sparked controversy, with the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers (AIMS) claiming the wage rates paid to current monopoly supplier Eville and Jones would be 鈥榦n a par鈥� with the employed model.
Now, the agency has toldFGit was 鈥榤inded to put on hold鈥� its in-sourcing plans, given the 鈥榮evere pressure鈥� public finances are facing and 鈥榠nflationary challenges.鈥�
Norman Bagley, AIMS policy director, said: 鈥淚f the FSA was to remove the highly duplicative management structure and overheads between themselves and their contractor, real cost savings could be made.鈥�
