ABM is urging farmers to be prepared for the changes to beef and lamb assurance as of 1st April 2007 when livestock markets and collection centres will become fully integrated into the assured beef and lamb supply chain. This completes the final link in beef and lamb whole chain assurance which will include farm, transport, market and abattoir.
Assured Farmers selling or moving assured livestock through non-assured markets or collection centres will lose the assured status of the animals.
This also applies to all markets and collection centres that the livestock pass through during their assurance residency period (90 days for cattle and 60 days for sheep). An assured farmer buying livestock they wish to be slaughtered as assured before the required period has been completed on their holding, must make sure the market/collection centre they purchase through is assured, as well as the previous owner of the animal.
Abattoirs purchasing assured livestock will only be able to go to assured markets and assured collection centres if procuring livestock through these channels.
ABM is encouraging farmers to ask if their market/collection centre is assured to ensure they maximise the marketing outlets for their livestock.
ABM have over 80 markets and collection centres already in the scheme and have published a list detailing those assured markets and collection centres in England and Wales, as well as those markets in England assured under the QMS market scheme (Scotland) on the ABM website www.abm.org.uk.
The demand for assured livestock is increasing steadily and both Assured Food Standards (AFS) and EBLEX fully support this development which will further strengthen the Red Tractor logo and EBLEX Quality Standard Mark. When selling assured livestock through the market system, AFS and EBLEX will only permit assured markets and assured collection centres to be used. Beef and lamb produced from assured farms and which passes through an assured supply chain is eligible to carry the Red Tractor logo and EBLEX Quality Standard Mark subject to additional eating quality requirements.
ABM has supplied all assured markets with a sign to easily identify those markets which are assured and has encouraged assured markets and collection centres to publicise their assurance status clearly to all vendors and buyers.