Here in the UK we can no longer do anything D.I.Y.
If I wanted to change anything electrical in the home/shop i would have to call a tradesman ,who is registered with the council/athourites that be, to supply me with the paperwork that the job has been carried out correctly .
Also this applies to plumbing and any building work.
I class myself as a tradesman as I trade,yet it seems any Tom,Dick or Harry can butcher and sell meat in a weekend market,without any qualifications whatso ever.
Yes I hear the doubters shout, that any building work must done within the saftey guidelines of said athuorities,yet surely this is true in our trade.
We all know the guidlines that the Health and saftey people put upon us as our products can kill ,i.e. chicken/pork products ,so we are vetted in the same way.
My point is ,that at the weekend (last) the wife and I sauntered around a open aired market, where all manner of things where beening sold.
There where 4 stalls selling sausages,burgers gammons ,pork etc,now I ask where is the justice for our trades ,where anybody came sell meat from a dirty old van with no fridge in sight.
I concur Pete, but those folks selling out of an old dirty van really just make the product you sell from a clean, bright, friendly meat shop look even better. It's true that most folks think anyone can butcher and cut meat, but after working in meat shops for almost 20 years I can say that is simply not true.
I'm not sure more regulations and certifications would make the industry necessarily better, though at least here in the US. The less red tape means less intrusions from people who generally don't know what they're saying or doing. We have people who sell meat out of trucks and stalls at farmer's markets. Some reputable, some not. Just like a mechanic or contractor. I know good ones and I know bad ones.
What p=sses me off is everybody and his brother think they can cut meat. When I worked for a contractor, who only employed butchers/cutters, the meat plants they sent us to all the so-called cutters came form different back grounds not the trade. There where allsorts welding sharp knives, it was scary to say the least.
this is everywhere pete .........i get a few quick meat lessons everyday from a customer or 2 about what grade and cuts and how they should be trimmed cut ect.....
Pete, I've been in many situations- outside of work, that the wanna be big-mouth "experts" will start spewing about meat, you just listen, and then ask a few questions, let him start stumbling on his own.
Usually these "experts" get an awakening if they ever do try to work in a meat department- Ive been in hundreds of interviews to hire meatcutters- even do cutting tests I will usually have a rib-eye visible, then ask, what is this- most will say rib-eye. This is how I build thier confidence-then I'll throw a shoulder clod in front of them,(wont tell them what it is) and ask/name at least 5 different cuts you can get out of this, and show me the cutting angles this one question will usually separate the B.S'ers from the cutters (fine line thier...lol)-
