Day 078 - 26 Jan 95 - Page 47
1 answers he has already given, I do not know. I think you
2 could explore a lot further and we would be in just the
3 same position as we are at quarter to three. If you have
4 some express matter to put to him, that you think McKey has
5 got beef from some area which will take us to rainforest
6 lands or recent rainforest lands, then by all means put it.
7
8 Ask your next question but do bear that in mind. We want
9 as little running off the ball as we can have.
10
11 MS. STEEL: I will just ask that question then and then move
12 on. (To the witness): He goes on to say: "For example,
13 the US market only purchases beef bred in the USA and
14 stamped with the US Government seal of origin; similarly
15 here, the UK market only uses beef stamped as being of EEC
16 origin". Is that correct? I mean, what does "EEC origin"
17 mean?
18 A. "EEC origin" means any beef which has been stamped by
19 an EEC inspector. Now, it might seem very strange but in
20 Labotzi there is a meat works in Botswana which is staffed
21 by Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food veterinary
22 officers. So, it is EEC approved beef and I explained to
23 you that that is because of the LOME agreement. In the
24 context of this letter, for McDonald's we are only using
25 EEC beef which is within the boundaries of the EEC,
26 countries within Europe.
27
28 Q. Except that this was written in 1989 and you have just said
29 that you were using American and Canadian beef for
30 McDonald's?
31 A. Yes, but I think I also said I finished that in about
32 1988 and, you see, things are getting out of proportion
33 here. One or two tonnes of Canadian flanks is nothing in
34 the capacity of the weight of beef which is produced for
35 McDonald's every week. It is nothing.
36
37 Q. I do not understand that.
38
39 MR. JUSTICE BELL: Do not ----
40
41 MS. STEEL: You have said in here about importing about beef
42 from America and Canada; why do you bother to mention it if
43 it is only one or two tonnes?
44 A. Because when that pamphlet was produced (and it was
45 produced for the benefit of McDonald's AOC students) it
46 tells them everything. As I keep trying to say, McKey has
47 got nothing to hide.
48
49 MR. JUSTICE BELL: If you can get near a rainforest with
50 Mr. Walker, do so, but you have made your point about
51 alleged breaches of any policy that there is. It is really
52 a matter for argument what, if any, conclusion I can draw
53 from that. I have to say it gives the impression that or
54 could give the impression, if we are approaching it all the
55 time from this indirect way, that you have nothing specific
56 to put on this, save for the Brazilian beef we have talked
57 about and anything which comes out of Costa Rica and
58 Guatemala which is not within Mr. Walker's sphere.
59
60 MS. STEEL: I think it is relevant because a large part of
