NSW Minister for Agriculture, Ian Macdonald, announced this week he will support a bill introduced by NSW Independent MP, Richard Torbay, which would make it illegal to falsely describe meat including beef, sheep, goat and pig in advertising, packaging, or labelling.

Mr Macdonald doesn’t want NSW to “go it alone” though, and says for producers and consumers to see the benefits of better labelling, the scheme must go national.

Mr Torbay’s “truth in labelling” drive, particularly for beef products, wants the existing labelling code to more accurately reflect meat quality and punish those who fail to label meat according to specific standards.

While Mr Torbay has been working closely with the beef industry on the bill, it complements moves already afoot to improve sheep meat labelling standards following an inquiry in Canberra last year which uncovered instances of mutton being sold as lamb.

Full story in The Land, February 19.