UPDATE

As a result of our campaign, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) Nutrition Division has now been in contact with the Secretary of the Traditional Cornmillers Guild who is co-ordinating our campaign.

The FSA has been able to provide further information on the FSA’s proposals which have provided traditional millers with some welcomed reassurance and committed to continuing a dialogue with traditional millers.

We now understand that wholemeal flours will be exempted from the proposed legislation and that any planned fortification with folic acid will likely be implemented through the Bread and Flour Regulations 1998 which already require mills to add certain vitamins and minerals to certain flours. The FSA have also made clear that, should the Health Secretary accept the FSA’s recommendations to make the addition of folic acid mandatory, the FSA will further consult with relevant bodies to ensure the legislation can be properly implemented.

These reassurances mean that we are unlikely to be faced with the significant additional costs we had feared, nor the issues relating to Building Listing or space that were highlighted in my previous correspondence.

There remains the issue of public choice and the public who purchase flour from our mill are wholeheartedly against any mandatory fortification including the existing Bread and Flour Regulations. This is however an argument which goes beyond our original concerns, but one which I am sure we will share more of in the not too distant future.

We are very appreciative of your support and assistance in helping us to make our case with the FSA. It is heartening that they now recognise and take account of the values and principles which the Guild stands for and will ensure that we are fully consulted on any future issues which may affect us.

As a result of this clarification we have withdrawn the Petition which was on the Government (No 10) website.