Bernard Matthews, The law and lies?

[Kwackerz]

What concerns me more than anything about the whole Avian Flu thing that's going on, is not the virus but the fact that for years Bernard Matthews advertised itself as selling Norfolk Turkey. Now we find out that the stuff is being imported from Hungary.. not exactly Norfolk!!?!

That'll be why our farming industries are going out of business.. legislation and loopholes which allow this to go on.

I wont be boycotting BM's foods however as they still employ UK workers and if everyone were to boycott them, people'd lose jobs. Something does however need to be done about it at Government level maybe..

Thats definately a worrying thought.. the Government doing something..!

[Fausto]

Does any of it come from Norfolk?

If any does, it may be the only "safe" product. Certainly not the Hungarian or Suffolk stuff.

Personally wouldn't buy or eat any of that shit anyway. I'm not veggie but I do feel that we should care a little about the welfare of what we eat. These are totally alien concepts to B.M.

[Kwackerz]

Does any of it come from Norfolk?

Im sure I remember a time when it did. I used to work for Sovereign Chicken (in Eye) and remember some of the industry newsletters that circulated the staff room. Nowadays they seemingly just reprocess it all and get around the issues of water content, location of origin, etc..

[lazarus]

Called "free trade". Cant say I recall recently seeing any refernce to Norfolk Turkeys but even if I did, does all cheddar come from cheddar, does all york ham come from york, are aylesbury ducks all born in aylesbury, does all camembert come from france. Of course it doesnt, any more than all Brits come from Britain.

To my mind a muchj more serious issue is the pumping of such meat full of water, and the muck they feed the animals on. We've already had a problem with feeding minced up cows to cows, and pig meat in slops to pigs. We feed chickens and turkeys on all sorts of rubbish mainly because joe public isnt prepared to pay the £5 for a decent organic free range chicken that the french pay willingly. so joe p largely gets what he deserves to my mind.

bit like our adulterated beer. the fruit juice that is made from water, citric acid , colours and flavouring - some of the colours being ground up beetles.

I have a pal who works in the food flavours industry. they take large chunks of cheese, feed bacteria into it to strengthen the flavour as much as 10 times, so it can be more sparingly used to flavour crisps and the industrial soap that the supermarkets sell as cheese.

[Kwackerz]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... key+advert

There were other adverts, but this was the only one i've found. That in it's own right doesnt say the product is from Norfolk, however there were ones that did. ISTR one that shew (showed) the Matthews' farm itself..

To my mind a muchj more serious issue is the pumping of such meat full of water, and the muck they feed the animals on. We've already had a problem with feeding minced up cows to cows, and pig meat in slops to pigs. We feed chickens and turkeys on all sorts of rubbish mainly because joe public isnt prepared to pay the £5 for a decent organic free range chicken that the french pay willingly. so joe p largely gets what he deserves to my

Agree wholeheartedly. Hopefully this increased interest in the Poultry industry will bring around more interest in all the food industry and it's practises.

I feel sorry for BM and his loss of revenue and can only pray that it will not mean the end of his workforce in Suffolk. There aint much else available to production workers of that trade round there.

[Samray]

Norfolk Black is a breed of turkey, which Bernie undoubtedly started his business with, but he probably uses anything he can buy cheaply these days.
I wouldn't give him the time of day let alone a gong at Buck House . . . . and I don't think you need worry about him being short of a bob or two either.

[Kwackerz]

and I don't think you need worry about him being short of a bob or two either.

No, but He wont pay the wages out of his own money. It'd come out of the business funds... if theyre running thin.. well...

I do feel sorry for him. He's built his business up. He's loaded admittedly, but why should we jeer at someone's downfall? I wouldnt laugh at.. I dunno.. A small businessman going broke and losing business, why shouldnt I afford the same feeling towards BM and his business?

Karma. So much more than a Gay Chameleon from the 80's

[Gio]

What concerns me more than anything about the whole Avian Flu thing that's going on, is not the virus but the fact that for years Bernard Matthews advertised itself as selling Norfolk Turkey. Now we find out that the stuff is being imported from Hungary.. not exactly Norfolk!!?!

That'll be why our farming industries are going out of business.. legislation and loopholes which allow this to go on.

I wont be boycotting BM's foods however as they still employ UK workers and if everyone were to boycott them, people'd lose jobs. Something does however need to be done about it at Government level maybe..

Thats definately a worrying thought.. the Government doing something..!

I expect its related to lack of population for that area of east anglia, after all aren't 3/4's of the GM crops being tested in Norfolk and Suffolk.

[D-Rider]

Bernard Matthews advertised itself as selling Norfolk Turkey. Now we find out that the stuff is being imported from Hungary.. not exactly Norfolk!!?!

Does anyone know the Hungarian for "Bootiful" ?

Tried using an online translator and it didn't know the word .... is this a sign that not all of Bernard's turkeys are quite as bootiful as he'd have us believe ... (irrespective of where they are caged)

[Myrkk]

what I find interesting is that the last time bird flu hit britain properly [80s or early 90s I think] it was in a Bernard Matthews ultra bio-secure barn too.

He also, by all accounts, imported more birds from Turkey after the outbreak was confirmed last week......... DOH!!

I understand people don't want to be out of jobs but surely it is time these companies acted responsibly. Mr Matthews may have enough money and insurance to swallow the costs of this fiasco but what about the small poultry farmers?!

[Kwackerz]

Zactly.. he should be buying up from all the local farms before going further afield.

Being a Norfolk Lad 'n all..

[Samray]

Zactly.. he should be buying up from all the local farms before going further afield.

Being a Norfolk Lad 'n all..

He put them all out of business decades ago.

[Aladinsaneuk]

I do not think that the company will last beyond the next few weeks....

and having worked there, i could say that there were many questionable projects/practises - suffice to say that I have not bought any BM products since i did work there

(I hasten to point out that I was there working as a nurse, and funnily enough part of my remit was to do screen checks on the farms....)

[BikerGran]

£5 for a decent organic free range chicken

Tell me where I can get a decent free range chicken for a fiver!

I paid £9 for one a while ago and it was just as taseless as the BM at al.

[Kwackerz]

and having worked there, i could say that there were many questionable projects/practises - suffice to say that I have not bought any BM products since i did work there

The same for me with Sovereign and buying chicken. Although it wasnt the Company's doing so much as the staff..