It is important that caterers understand that they do not need to change their meat supplier(s) to comply with the Best Practice Guidelines. They simply need to ensure that country of origin details are provided for all dishes on the menu where the major prominent ingredient is meat based.

Information on the origin of the meat should be made available to consumers when they are choosing their food, either on the menu or clearly displayed on a poster, chalk board or other point-of-sale material.

All three menu examples illustrated here comply with the Meat and Livestock Commission's 'Best Practice Guidelines' for labelling the origin of meat on menus.

	Menu example 1 Caterers buying meat from more than one country should simply indicate their sourcing policy with a short explanation on the menu. For example: 'We source our meat from around the world (Britain, Ireland, New Zealand and Argentina) to ensure we serve you with high quality meals at affordable prices' or 'The meat served in this restaurant is of UK origin except where otherwise stated'.
	Menu example 2 If it is the case that the origin of meat supplied will change before the menu is renewed, this should also be indicated, for example: 'The meat served in this restaurant is selected according to seasonal availability. Lamb is from Wales or New Zealand , unless otherwise stated.' If reference to the breed is included on the menu, this should still be supported with country of origin details.
	Menu example 3 Caterers may wish to provide reference to the specific region (e.g. Cornish lamb, Yorkshire reared beef), or even the farm that the animal came from. At the very least, the country of origin must be specified. Information provided on packaging and labelling is for everyone's benefit, but mostly yours as the buyer. Make sure that you familiarise yourself with the basic packaging information upon deliver and that it matches your order and specification. Always check the product label and product match and always record the delivery temperature.

Download MLC's Best Practice Guidelines for naming origin of meat on menus