3 replies to this topic

[Tony-C]

Hi everyone,

 

Some Good News. Hopefully we don't get woke judges preventing this system from working effectively.

 

 

FSA Announces Additional Investigatory Powers to Tackle Food Fraud

 

New powers have come into effect that equip the FSA’s National Food Crime Unit (NFCU) in England and Wales with specific investigatory powers under The Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE). From May 1st, nearly a decade after the NFCU was set up, new powers under PACE will enable NFCU investigators to apply for and execute search warrants, with the appropriate safeguards. This will help to protect consumers and businesses from food fraud more effectively.

 

‘These new powers are a vital tool to ensure that NFCU investigations can be progressed more directly and effectively.  Our investigators will be able to apply for and execute search warrants, increasing our ability to respond quickly to intelligence and to continue to ensure that swift action is taken to tackle food fraud.’

Andrew Quinn, Head of the FSA’s National Food Crime Unit (NFCU)

 

‘The new powers that have been given to the FSA’s NFCU are of huge importance in the on-going fight against food crime in the UK. The ability to enter and search premises immediately following the arrest of suspects will make it much more difficult for criminals to dispose of incriminating evidence and cover their tracks. I have supported this advance in the Unit’s powers for many years and am delighted to see them coming into force. The many bona fide food businesses and UK consumers will be better protected as a result.’

Professor Chris Elliott, Professor of food safety and microbiology at Queen’s University

 

 

Regards,

 

Tony

 

[GMO]

 

Some Good News. Hopefully we don't get woke judges preventing this system from working effectively.

 

 

Woke?  Woke???    

 

Ok, I will come to that at the end with a video from a national treasure.  Warning, bad language.

 

The NFCU.  Hmm.  I would be very tempted to shake it up, a lot.  I have applied for a job with them in the past and not sour grapes (but perhaps a few sour grapes), they pretty much ONLY employ ex police officers.  

 

Huh. 

 

I did ask them why, they claimed they don't yet every job ad requires skills and experience you can only obtain in the police and I've never even got to interview despite a) being in my 3rd decade in the food industry and b) being prepared to take a job cut.  Looking at their employees they also all seem to be ex cops.

 

So I can't say what it feels like on the inside of the unit but I feel like they're missing a diversity trick in recruitment.  Police, having sadly had experience of them in the UK from a victim standpoint, think about things in a very unique way which I'd say has done nothing to prevent nor restrict food crime in Britain.  Intelligence and contacts from the inside of the industry would at least give a different viewpoint. 

 

Do they need more powers?  I guess they can only state that and fair enough if that's what they need.  But is the problem bigger than just powers?  I'd say so.

 

As for woke.  Has "woke" ever stopped any food prosecution in the UK?  Not to my knowledge.  If anything it's the people who are most likely to call out wrongdoing who will be called "woke".  It's the people who are MOST concerned about ethics who in my experience are those drawn to call out and prosecute crimes against health and safety, food safety and the environment.  Judges in the UK are far more likely to not apply the law as intended due to establishment pressure I'd argue than due to overt political correctness.  They're not especially prone to influence by those with little power.

 

Warning.  Language.  I've warned you twice now.  Don't complain.

 

Kathy Burke describes 'Woke' - Did she get it right or wrong?

[Tony-C]

My, my we haven't we had a busy morning GMO, I guess you couldn't sleep.

 

Woke?  Woke???     

 

Ok, I will come to that at the end with a video from a national treasure.  Warning, bad language.

 

  Hilarious, I think we will agree to disagree on this subject.

 

Foul mouthed Burke by name and nature is far from a national treasure, she reminds me of Bernard Manning, funny on occasions. You can make people laugh or make your point without the need to eff and blind all the time.

 

Kind regards,

 

Tony

 

[MDaleDDF]

Man I don't care which side of the aisle people are on, as long as they get the job done, and in the US, they AIN'T, lol, when it comes to food anyway.   The rest is arguing about politics, which is pointless, and which I was nearly drawn into on this site last week, and refuse to be again.   Plenty of political forums and news site comment sections to fight over politics, and most of them are echo chambers anyway.    Actually every other forum I'm on, if you bring up politics, you're warned once, banned next time...    Which I think is a good rule.    Here to talk food science, not politics, but it can be difficult to do so with the way the laws are made and enforced.   Sometimes we just need to calmly agree to disagree.   I have my beliefs, and others have theirs about politics, and that's fine.   Doesn't mean I won't buy you a shot and a beer at the bar.    Actually, my best friend is 100% the opposite end of the spectrum from me, and the people at our local pub are similar.   We may tease each other a bit, but nobody takes it too serious.

I would so love to see more federal responsibility, and stop letting individual states pass laws on food.  It's going to get to the point that manufacturers are going to need a different label for every state....

 

I do agree with ditching the petroleum colors and all that stuff they're currently doing.  

So hopefully this FF change will be a good thing.