Meat is an important sector of the food industry with the UK market for meat and poultry currently worth £24bn. Although meat has a high nutritional value, meat products have come under increasing scrutiny by medical, nutritional and consumer groups. The following websites provide a variety of useful information about different aspects of the meat industry.

Professional associations - Europe

The Liaison Centre for the Meat Processing Industry in the European Union (CLITRAVI) is a professional organisation representing the interests of some 15,000 companies. Their website (www.clitravi.eu/) provides information on supply and economics, policy development, safety and hygiene, technology, labelling, quality and nutrition. There is a list of members, a comprehensive links page and downloadable proceedings of their most recent conference.

The Meat Processing Industries Association of Spain (AICE) is a non-profit organisation of over 800 companies in the Spanish meat industry. The Spanish language website (www.aice.es/v_portal/apartados/pl_dos_columnas.asp?te=3) includes information on training and employment, events, statistics and nutrition, news and a document library, links to other websites and a members’ only area.

An organisation in the EU undertaking research on meat and meat products is the Danish Meat Research Institute (DMRI). Its bilingual (Danish and English) website (www.dmri.com/DMRI.aspx) describes their research groups and projects, which include process technology and hygiene, animal welfare, quality and analytical services. There is also a list of published articles, many of which can be downloaded.

The website of the Centre Français d'Information des Viandes (CIV), the French Meat Information Centre, (www.civ-viande.org/ebn.ebn?pid=50) offers a meeting point for the meat industry, public authorities and consumers. Available in French, English, Greek and Spanish, the user-friendly site has information on meat cuts and grading, industry statistics, safety and labelling, regulations and nutrition.

Professional associations - international/rest of world

The International Meat Secretariat (IMS) brings together meat and livestock organisations throughout the world. The website (www.meat-ims.org/en/), which is available in English, French and Spanish, provides a forum for the exchange of ideas and experiences on issues affecting the international meat and livestock sector. There are details of IMS meetings and publications such as the IMS-GIRA World Meat Facts Book. The online IMS Newsletter offers insights and analyses on meat and livestock market trends, animal health and trade. 

eFresh.com (http://meat.efresh.com/Content/02_01_PortalHome.aspx) is an international fresh produce trading platform for meat, offering real-time market information. In addition to providing a network for meat and poultry professionals, the site includes global industry news, statistics and price information. The site is available in Chinese (simplified), Dutch, English, French and Spanish.

The American Meat Institute (AMI) is a membership trade association for packers and processors in the US meat industry. The AMI site (www.meatami.com) offers a wide variety of information on issues such as animal health and welfare, diet and health, and food safety and inspection. The website also includes event details, news articles, links to other websites and a crisis centre that companies (both members and non-members) can turn to in emergencies.

Several websites are funded and/or produced by the US National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) providing a wide range of information on the cattle and beef industry. These can be accessed through (www.beef.org/) or (www.beefusa.org/), the latter being the NCBA membership site with details of government affairs, news, industry statistics, events, marketing and trade.

The Beef Information Centre (BIC) site (www.beefinfo.org/), part of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association, is responsible for promoting beef, improving quality and educating the consumer. This bilingual (English and French) user-friendly site provides facts and figures on the Canadian beef industry, nutritional benefits, recipes and ways to cook different types of beef.

Meat & Livestock Australia (www.mla.com.au/default.htm) works in partnership with industry and government to provide R&D and marketing services to the red meat industry. The searchable website offers in-depth analysis and forecasting through market information, news updates, publications and reports, and comprehensive statistics. Links are provided to Australian industry organizations and programmes and other useful websites.

Publications, news and consumer information

MeatProcess.com is a daily online news service available as a free-access website (www.meatprocess.com/), sourcing data from available scientific, technical and industry sources. Subscribers can obtain a free daily or weekly edition, online industry white papers and archives.

Meat International (www.meatinternational.com/) provides information about the international meat sector from slaughtering through to processing, packaging and safety. The searchable website includes articles, event details, company profiles, statistics and prices, press releases and e-newsletters.

The online meat trades journal MeatInfo (www.meatinfo.co.uk/) offers news services and information on all aspects of the industry from livestock to processor and supermarket. The searchable site covers jobs, events, e-mail alerts and newsletter archives. There are also links to other sites such as (www.meat-prices.co.uk/), which has weekly UK retail and wholesale livestock, poultry and game meat prices.

Eurocarne is a Spanish language magazine aimed at professionals working in the meat industry. The website (www.eurocarne.com) presents the online edition of Eurocarne, covering topics of interest to producers, marketers, technologists and hygienists, and includes electronic bulletins and company directories.

The US website (www.beefnutrition.org/) is aimed at health and nutrition professionals. It includes downloadable reference materials for health professionals, patients and clients, and provides access to a free electronic newsletter.

Supported by the UK Meat & Livestock Commission, the website (http://www.meatmatters.com/) highlights the role of red meat in a balanced diet. Mainly for healthcare professionals, the site provides information on health, nutrition and labelling, as well as recipes, news and press articles and useful links.

Legislation and regulation

Websites providing information on legislation in the meat industry include (http://europa.eu/pol/food/index_en.htm), which details EU food safety strategy covering not just safe food but also animal health and welfare. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) handles risk assessment of food and feed. Its searchable website (www.efsa.europa.eu/EFSA/efsa_locale-1178620753812_home.htm) provides a wealth of information on a range of topics from animal health and welfare to transmissible diseases.

The UK government's Defra (www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/index.htm) details legislation, policy and guidance on farm animals and management, imports and exports, by-product disposal, safety and meat hygiene. In particular, key documents relating to the Meat Hygiene Council Directive 2002/99/EC are available on-line (www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/diseases/control/mhcd.htm).

Also in the UK, the Food Standards Agency’s Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) is responsible for official inspections of animals, carcasses and offals. Its comprehensive and searchable website (www.food.gov.uk/foodindustry/meat/mhservice/) has information on farming, nutrition, safety, packaging, imports and legislation. There are also guidance notes, downloadable industry sector publications and useful links.

The searchable National Archives and Record Administration website (www.gpoaccess.gov/cfr/index.html) lists the Codes of Federal Regulations (CFR) for the US meat industry. Each volume of the CFR is updated yearly via separate quarterly issues. Relevant documents can be accessed on this website.

BSE

One of the biggest concerns for the meat industry and consumer is BSE, a fatal neurodegenerative Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE). There are several sites dedicated to this subject.

The EC website (http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/biosafety/bse/index_en.htm) describes the current EU work programme on TSEs, legislation and management, questions and answers on BSE, and control measures to protect animal and consumer health.

In the UK, Defra’s website (www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/tse-regs09/index.htm) provides information on the proposed Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (England) Regulations 2009, which will update and replace the existing 2008 Regulations. They include amendments that have been made in response to new European legislation, technical changes and procedural reviews.

A dedicated website for BSE is (www.bsereview.org.uk/). Topics range from causes, symptoms and progression of the disease, BSE outbreaks, animals affected by BSE, its impact on humans and measures to control the disease. There are publications and also information on human Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD).

Linking through from the AMI website is BSEInfo.org (www.bseinfo.org/) which offers a scientific resource and information for both the media and consumer on BSE and related diseases. The site includes downloadable fact sheets and information on the diseases, safety, control and surveillance data, and links to other general BSE websites.