A new CFA initiative recently saw a group of its member companies discussing the benchmarking of road traffic accident data for their fleet operations and sharing learning about improving the safety of HGV and van movements. As a first step, accident data will be submitted to CFA for collation and sharing, which in the future may be compared to that from the wider logistics sector. Companies not currently collecting safety data on their fleet operations also took part in the group and learned about approaches to data collection from their peers. Discussions are underway regarding a way forward for the […]

A unique workshop focussed on improving laboratory methods with the aim of them being able to confirm whether or not STEC is present in a food within its shelf life was held in November. Instigated by CFA in response to STEC outbreaks (CFA News 62), the workshop was attended by 80 food producers including growers, government agencies and researchers, and followed CFA’s call for a review of the suitability of STEC test methods and the interpretation of non-confirmed findings. A briefing document drafted by CFA with SRUC, shared widely in industry, the trade and agencies, was taken forward by CFA […]

Costs to the GB food industry for the completion of EHCs by certifiers to export products of animal origin are now averaging around £5m pcm. So the CFA-led SPS Working Group was pleased to be invited to give evidence to the EFRA inquiry on the critical issues impacting on GB food and biosecurity by the Border Target Operating Model (CFA News 60, 61 & 62). Its wide-ranging response commented on issues including the adequacy of controls on personal and commercial imports, with an increasing potential for illegal meat imports and fraudulent EHC certificates. The capacity of systems (in the UK […]