The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) requests the ABC immediately corrects its media stories online, on radio and any on TV or social media regarding false claims of “horse meat detected in Australian food.”
The NSW Food Authority has not found horse meat in beef, lamb or any food for human consumption.
This claim is misleading and not correct. There is no evidence to suggest as in the headline or first paragraph of this article:
Secret files show horse meat, mouse fur and metal shavings detected in Australian food – ABC News
A NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development spokesperson said:
The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) rejects allegations that horse meat has been found in products for human consumption.
The NSW Food Authority conducts random surveillance testing on meat products for species identification.
There has been no incident of horse meat being found in products for human consumption.
Horse meat is permitted to be sold as food provided it is processed in a licensed abattoir. There are no abattoirs in NSW licensed to process horse meat for human consumption.
The Food Authority conducted a compliance project using its intelligence networks to investigate illegal knackeries which operate and can process horses for pet meat.
In a Four Corners program, broadcast on Monday 27 July 2027 NSW Member of Parliament, Abigail Boyd, referred to this in her statement:
“A really concerning number of illegal knackeries. A lot of horses and other animals ending up in what people would assume to be minced beef or minced lamb.”
Any complaints around illegal operations or product adulteration are investigated by the NSW Food Authority and where evidence of wrongdoing is found enforcement action is taken.
Recently, an illegal knackery that was operating in Wagga Wagga had its products tested by DPIRD officers to confirm the species being slaughtered and processed by the person of interest conducting the unlicensed operations.
The meat processed at the illegal knackery was being used for pet food, predominantly for the greyhound industry.
This matter was resolved with the person responsible, Adrian Talbot, convicted of two charges of operating an unlicensed knackery and unlicensed animal food van in Wagga Wagga Local Court in June this year. He was fined $12,000 and ordered to pay costs of $30,000.
