Organic Meat in Britain: Is it the Real Thing ?
Some butchers and farmers in Great Britain are selling “organic” meat illegally, reports James Meikle in Monday’s issue of The Guardian. A TV documentary that will be aired tomorrow evening reveals the problem, showing non-authorized sales of supposedly organic food.
In Great Britain, organic producers must buy a yearly license (approximately $750) and register with the watchdog organisation The Soil Association, who in turn carries out inspections. But some farmers prefer to avoid the red tape. Meikle quotes meat producer Dawn Brooks on this problem: “There are a lot of people out there who have no interest in becoming organic or registering with any association. If you ask them, they say it [their food] is as good as organic but we don’t bother with the paperwork.”
Amidst calls for increased checks and controls, the Soil Association has promised to investigate the cases presented in the documentary.
