MEAT FOR BRITAIN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 May 1940, Page 3

MEAT FOR BRITAIN

EXPORT GRADING STANDARDS. RESPONSIBILITY OF BOARD. Following the sale of our meat to the United Kingdom, the duty of supervising Jho grading of the different classes of meat at the various fireezing'workslis receiving the closest attention of the officers of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board. In the negotiations with the United Kingdom, it was specially arranged that a separate price should be paid for Prime Down Cross lambs, and a special price was also fixed for Prime Canterbury lamb. The general condition of purchase 'in respect of grading laid down by the contract with the British Ministry of Food is that the meat is to' bo of the usual descriptions and grades as al present shipped from New Zealand. This, however, lias to be qualified as regards the North Island to the extent that the Down Cross lambs will be graded separately from the ordinary Crossbred type lambs at all works. An undertaking has been given to the British Government that all carcases graded Down Cross will be of Down type. This should be kept in mind by farmers when considering the grading returns they receive from the works, as only lambs which show characteristics of the Down can be included in this Down Cross grade. As applying to the South Island, it would not be to the advantage of farmers if the Down Cross lambs were specially picked out, as the remaining lambs would have to take a* lesser price than the present price offered for Prime Canterbury. Therefore the prices and grading as arranged for the South Island are to the advantage of the farmer. In support of this, it may be pointed out that there is only a difference in value between the Primo Down Cross lambs and Prime Canterbury of l/16d per lb. whereas the price of Crossbred lambs in the North Island shows a difference of 3/16d when compared -with the Prime Down Cross price. In order to conserve space in the freezing stores and in the vesselsi‘ which are provided for the carriage of meat, the British Government requested that all carcases of mutton and lamb should be telescoped, as was done during the last war. To ensure that al! freezing works are cutting and packing the carcases to a uniform standard, the Now Zealand Moat Producers Board, as a result of a discussion with the Primary Industries Controller, arranged for one of its officers to specially visit the various works in the Dominion to.examine the way in which the cutting of carcases was being done. The Meat Board's Supervising Grader has now finalised his work in this connection, having carried out demonstrations at the works with those concerned. This should result in a uniform pack being shipped from the various freezing works.