Food Waste

[BDG]

Couple of points from what I have read:

1. Swill is still banned, but certain waste foods can be fed

2. F&M disease can kill, but it is rare. Animals that have had it however have a lot lower yields of meat and milk - they are no good as productive stock

3. Supermarkets sell what you ask them to sell - if enough people ask enough times, they will get it in.

Now, back to what waste foods can be fed - foods that have been processed in factory conditions where there can be no contamination with meat can be fed. Second or third grade fruit and veg can be fed, but only if it has not left the farm - if it has, it needs to go through a licenced processor.

It is not worth the money on normal veg crops to send the seconds or thirds off site to be turned into animal feeds. Poor quality grains, yes, but not normal veg.

The problems with feeding swill in the past was that a lot of people did not make it properly, they would just feed the food waste rather than putting it in the swill boiler for long enough.

Swill is banned EU wide, but there has been some new evidence for the safe use of swill for pigs and chickens and it has been discussed in a positive light in parliament. Due to food waste, the cost of dealing with waste, feed costs and food cost, I can envisage swill coming back soon but I imagine it will be made in licensed plants rather than each farmer being able to knock up there own batch. Animal cannibalism will still be illegal.