THERE are now two reviews, being carried out into food safety regulation in Victoria.
The PrimeSafe board is reviewing the organisations actitivities, after concerns were raised by butchers and smallgoods producers, about its 'heavy handed' approach to regulation.
At the same time, the Victorian Food Regulators Forum, made up of representatives from State Government departments, Dairy Food Safety Victoria, PrimeSafe, the Municipal Association of Victoria and Consumer Affairs Victoria, was also looking at regulation.
The forum was examining which tier of government should have responsibility for food safety in areas including supermarkets, farm gate shops and farmers markets.
The forum provided advice to Agriculture Minister Jaala Pulford and the Health Minister Jill Hennessy.
MAV president Bill McArthur said the forum was working out who was the best regulator for each food business.
"That could be difficult, as legislation covering meat, seafood and dairy operates differently," Cr McArthur said.
"There is a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) operating between the various food regulators which has been in operation for some years."
He said the forum was looking at ways to provide greater clarity about which government authority had jurisdiction over which section of wholesale and retail sales.
Victorian food regulation was currently managed by two state government departments, two state statutory authorities and 79 local councils.
The review was running in parallel to an internal inquiry into PrimeSafe - the state's meat and seafood safety regulator.
The PrimeSafe review was ordered by Ms Pulford, after complaints about its alleged heavy handed approach to regulating small producers and butchers.
The internal review would focus on small business, according to a spokesman for the organisation's board.
The aim was to report back to Agriculture Minister, Jaala Pulford, by early September.
The spokesman said the review would include consultation with licencees, with a focus on small business.
"PrimeSafe is always looking at ways to improve engagement with our licensees, and the request from the Minister for Agriculture provides a further opportunity for us to do so," the spokesman said.
"PrimeSafe understands that 'red tape' is a frustration for many small businesses and provides information and support to assist businesses to meet food safety requirements."
Concerns about PrimeSafe were raised at what was termed the first Deep Winter Agrarian Gathering, in Eganstown, recently.
Co-ordinator Tammi Jonas, of Jonai Farms, said issues of food production and distribution were addressed at the forum, attended by 150 people.
She the increasing incidence of 'food fraud' committed by some restaurants and providores was discussed, with farmers giving examples of their produce being named on menus of restaurants they were not supplying.
"Our efforts to maintain high welfare animal husbandry systems are being co-opted by unscrupulous chefs or, in some cases, their suppliers," South Australia's Savannah Lamb owner Michele Lally said.
"Accordingly, consumers who are aiming to make ethical choices and support the growth of the regenerative farming movement are also being duped."
Ms Jonas said food safety regulation was a major impediment to growing rural economies.