Bosses of a Barrowford dairy which closed over EU regulations have hit out after a u-turn which meant they would not have needed to shut.Bowland Dairy, Pasture Lane, closed last autumn with the loss of 23 jobs after EU commissioners said its cheese curds contained antibiotic traces that were above acceptable EU levels.
Now, the commission is expected to end actions in the next couple of months. after the UK industry agreed to implement a number of checks.
According to Food Standards Agency (FSA) officials the move represented an EU climb-down after commission officials filed court action against the UK last autumn, alleging it had not sufficiently tackled safety and hygiene lapses found at Bowland Dairies.
Commission inspectors descended on British dairy firms in November to assess the extent of the problem.
Throughout the Bowland Dairy saga, the FSA maintained that the dairy was not at fault and had adhered to UK hygiene standards.
A spokesman for Bowland Dairy said: "One would imagine if the EU had taken this stance last year we wouldn't have closed.
"It does seem that Bowland were harshly treated throughout the affair."
Dairy UK director general, Jim Begg, who represents the interests of UK dairy farmers and producers defended industry hygiene and testing practices, said: "We have responded positively to the commission. All practices recommended have been put in place and there is nothing major or significant that the UK has to look at."
Recovery of mouldy cheese was one of the problems commission inspectors found at Bowland in the early summer last year. The firm was eventually barred from trading in the EU after a follow-up inspection found concerns over its testing for antibiotics residues in milk - a decision the group has vehemently disputed.
"A final decision is not expected before a Commission committee meeting on March 23," added the FSA spokesman.
Source: http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk
