E D I TOR ’ S N O T E It can be hard to see beyond the headlines of ‘hot issues of the day’ to appreciate how they might affect us positively or negatively on a daily basis. Auckland, along with other major centres around the country, is gripped in a vice of spiralling house prices, unaffordable land values and scarce rental stock. Every person and his/her dog is calling for sprawl to extend past traditional city boundaries to cater for low-income families wanting a chance to climb the property ladder… and it’s very easy to be sympathetic to their predicament. However, HortNZ has thrown a cat amongst the pigeons that’s worth contemplating. It’s all very well, it says, to support uncontrolled urban sprawl, but if more houses are built into the fertile fruit and vegetable production land surrounding Auckland, two things will happen. Horticultural businesses will be pushed further away…and our fresh vegetables and fruit will cost more across the country. As Hort- NZ’s natural resources manager Chris Keenan says, “We know we need a bigger Auckland, but do we want to pay $10 a kilo for vegetables imported from China?” Food grown in Pukekohe, for example, can’t be grown anywhere else in the country at certain times of the year. If the land it is grown on disappears under bricks and tiles, we will face eating imported products at ludicrous prices, or go without. And what about protecting water supplies from blocked aquifers? HortNZ is right in pointing out that allowing Auckland to spread into productive areas is a food security nightmare waiting to happen. Bravo to the Auckland Council for taking on the task of establishing a Rural Urban Boundary, but implementation needs to be cautious. The research must be top-notch, the ramifications identified and understood, and the longterm effects fully investigated. It MUST take account of food security and production values as well, and political parties shouldn’t be allowed to use the issue anymore as an election football. This month’s magazine is packed with interesting information, including articles on food allergies, 3D food printing, robotics, award-winning brewers and the woman with the $1 million tastebuds. We say happy 100th birthday to James Crisp, detail what’s happening with Northland’s food and beverage industry, and explain why we should expect more European backpackers this coming summer. Kathryn Calvert Editor NZ FOODTechnology LETTER TO THE EDITOR 1 INVESTIGATING OUTSIDE THE SQUARE To the Editor: A new initiative from European Beef and Pork has been launched to help give New Zealand consumers transparency over the food safety and ethical standards of imported products. In an age of growing consumer awareness about the way food is produced, a production concept that assures animal welfare and safe preparation is being championed by the EU meat industry. The European Union’s new farm-tofork programme was created to assure the public that beef and pork has met high safety requirements, and environmental and ethical manufacturing standards. The main philosophy behind the concept is that consumers need to be able to easily trace where the meat on their plate comes from. Ensuring animals have healthy lives, which significantly improves the quality of their meat, is another primary concern. In a bid to reduce animal stress, the concept regulates transport as well as density, temperature and humidity, noise level and air circulation where animals are kept. Imports of European pork into New Zealand resumed last year after an 11-year ban. Reassuringly for New Zealand families, the use of hormones, growth stimulants and antibiotics is banned in EU beef and pork. The farm-to-fork concept also protects consumer health, requiring the farming of pigs and cattle in the territory of the EU to be supervised by veterinary institutions. The health of animals is monitored, and the meat of animals is also subject to veterinary checks. Further ensuring the safety of EU beef and pork, sanitary packaging processes are strictly regulated. Polystyrene trays with stretch foil, modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and vacuum packaging effectively prevent meat from drying. These measures also prevent bacterial growth, guaranteeing the freshness and proper colour of the meat. In its most innovative measure, the concept requires all EU beef and pork products to be labelled with the name of the producer, batch number and the use by date – which means consumers know exactly where their food has come from. Lack of interruption of the cold chain must be confirmed with a note in a report. The farm-to-fork concept means that each stage of the production of beef, pork and their products is transparent. Full traceability of the product’s history, the quality of animal feed, as well as strict veterinary and sanitary supervision over meat production are all important elements of shaping the quality of European beef and pork – giving consumers full confidence in the safety of their meal. A statement from the Union of Producers and Employers of Meat Industry
1-48 FT June16
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