Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations, which apply to Great Britain only, provide for the administration and enforcement of the Community system of grading of pig carcases in slaughterhouses of which the weekly average throughput exceeds 200 pigs. That system, which requires pig carcases to be graded after slaughter in accordance with common rules by reference to the proportion which their lean meat content bears to their total weight, was established by Council Regulation (EEC) No 3220/84 (OJ No L301, 20.11.84, p.1) (“the Council Regulation”), for which detailed rules are laid down by Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2967/85 (OJ No L285, 25.10.85, p.39) (“the Commission Regulation”). Those Community Regulations provide, inter alia, for—

(a)

the definition of the term “pig carcase” (Article 2 of the Council Regulation);

(b)

the principles by reference to which the lean meat content of a pig carcase is to be assessed (Article 2 of the Council Regulation and Article 3 of the Commission Regulation);

(c)

the methods by means of which the weight of a cold pig carcase is to be calculated (Article 2 of the Commission Regulation);

(d)

the scale of grades which is to be applied in respect of each pig carcase (Article 3 of the Council Regulation); and

(e)

the marking of pig carcases after grading (Article 4 of the Council Regulation and Article 4 of the Commission Regulation).

In implementation of those provisions, these Regulations—

(a)

add to the grading scale which applies by virtue of Article 3(2) of the Council Regulation an additional grade indicating a minimum lean meat content of 60% designated by the letter “S” (regulation 4);

(b)

require occupiers of slaughterhouses to which these Regulations apply—

(i)

to give the appropriate Agriculture Minister certain particulars of his business (regulation 3);

(ii)

to weigh and grade pig carcases in accordance with the requirements of the Council Regulation as read with Commission Decision No 88/234/EEC (OJ No L105, 26.4.88, p.15) (which authorises the use of specified methods for grading pig carcases and the calculation of the weight of cold pig carcases by reference to a specified scale of absolute reductions of the hot weight) (regulation 5(a) and (b));

(iii)

to mark any carcase to be exported uncut to another Member State with an indication of its grade in accordance with the requirements of the Community Regulations (regulation 5(c)); and

(iv)

to mark any other carcase in accordance with the requirements of the Community Regulations or to make and keep a record relating to it (regulation 5(d));

(c)

require the MLC to carry out the weighing and grading duties on behalf of a slaughterhouse occupier, if given notice by him (regulation 6);

(d)

confer on authorised officers of the Agriculture Ministers powers of entry and inspection for the purpose of ensuring compliance with the Regulations (regulation 7);

(e)

enable the MLC to recover from slaughterhouse occupiers its expenses incurred in connection with carrying out the weighing and grading duties (regulation 9);

(f)

provide for the service of notices (regulation 10); and

(g)

create offences and penalties, and provide for defences (regulation 11).