Agricultural Produce (Meat) (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1978

Regulations for classification of fresh meat.

2.—The Act of 1930 is hereby amended by the insertion of the following section after section 26:

“26A.—(1) The Minister may make regulations (in this Act referred to as ‘regulations for the classification of fresh meat’) requiring fresh meat, from one or more kinds of animal, as may be specified in such regulations—

(a) to be classified according to prescribed standard systems of description, and

(b) to have prescribed marks applied to such meat for the purpose of indicating its classification.

(2) Regulations under this section shall specify the persons or bodies which shall have responsibility for classifying meat or applying prescribed marks to meat and the manner in which such marks shall be applied.

(3) (a) The Minister may make regulations prescribing a certificate for the purpose of this section and requiring the due completion (including the signing) of such a certificate by a licensed exporter (or his agent) and the delivery by a licensed exporter (or his agent) of such a completed certificate to the vendor (or such other person as may be so specified) of any animals, fresh meat from which has been classified under this section at the registered premises of the licensed exporter.

(b) Any person who fails or neglects to comply with a requirement of regulations under this subsection shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £100 in the case of a first offence and in the case of a second or subsequent offence to a fine not exceeding £300.”.