Day 077 - 25 Jan 95 - Page 34


     
     1        A.  Yes.
     2
     3   Q.   Let us take an example on page 37; suppose it was brought
     4        to your attention that one of your suppliers had a very bad
     5        system and would not put it right, for example, in the
     6        unloading and handling of the livestock, would that be a
     7        serious thing?
     8        A.  It would be subject to a complaint, yes.
     9
    10   Q.   If he would not mend his ways, he might be terminated?
    11        A.  Absolutely.
    12
    13   Q.   Compare that with No. 2, "Use of goads", which you say is a
    14        McDonald's requirement but does not bother you, is that
    15        right ---
    16        A.  Yes.
    17
    18   Q.   -- personally.  What would you do if somebody went on using
    19        goads after being told they should not?
    20        A.  Because of the situation now with McDonald's, we would
    21        have to tell them that they could not supply us any more.
    22        I do not agree with that; as I say, that is the only point
    23        but we would have to follow it up.
    24
    25   Q.   This is, therefore, an internal McKey document which you
    26        use as a basis for whatever action may be needed?
    27        A.  Yes.
    28
    29   Q.   How often does it, in fact, occur that somebody needs more
    30        than one telephone call or letter to get him to pull his
    31        socks up?
    32        A.  How often?
    33
    34   Q.   Yes, roughly speaking.  Are you on the phone all the time
    35        complaining about the way people conduct their business or
    36        not?
    37        A.  No, we are not on the phone all the time.  I mean, I
    38        am thinking of particular examples.  I can think of two
    39        occasions last year where we had to insist that they mended
    40        their ways or they would not be a supplier, but those were
    41        more on the animal health side; it was on the technique of
    42        slaughter.
    43
    44   Q.   On the technique of slaughtering?
    45        A.  Yes.
    46
    47   Q.   What particular things were there that were worrying you
    48        about the technique of slaughtering?
    49        A.  Well, we have recently changed our specification and
    50        insist that all cattle killed for McDonald's now, the 
    51        oesophagus and bung is tied off before it is eviserated. 
    52 
    53   Q.   You are talking about food safety and not about animal
    54        welfare?
    55        A.  Yes.  I cannot think of an occasion where we have had
    56        to get very heavy-handed over animal welfare.
    57
    58   Q.   Those were postmortem concerns?
    59        A.  Yes.
    60

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