Vol. 548 No. 4
26 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development if further progress has been made in relation to the introduction of a mechanical grading system for beef at factory level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4945/02]
Mechanical grading trials were carried out in Ireland in August 1999 and March 2000. Similar trials were also carried out in Germany, Denmark and France.
The consensus of opinion was that the trials in Ireland had been carried out in a highly professional manner. While the three machines involved achieved high accuracy results in relation to conformation and meat content of the carcases, they were less accurate in relation to fatness and, in general, they failed to attain the standards set down by the EU Commission in a draft regulation setting standards to be met by these machines prior to their approval for classification purposes. Following discussion in the beef management committee, the Commission agreed to carry out a pilot test to examine whether the standards and procedures set out in the draft regulation were practicable.
