HallMark and FSA Joint Visits to North Lincolnshire Poultry Sites

HallMark and FSA Continue Joint Abattoir Visits in North Lincolnshire Poultry Sites

On Thursday 25th September, HallMark Veterinary and Compliance Services and the Food Standards Agency (FSA) carried out further joint abattoir visits, this time focusing on poultry sites in North Lincolnshire. The visits reinforced both organisations’ shared commitment to food safety, animal welfare, and high-quality delivery of official controls.

This round of visits was attended by:

• Representing the FSA, Kevin Maher, Head of Animal Welfare, Contracts & SLAs

• HallMark Directors Patrick Steel, Penny Thorne, and Diego Sprekelsen

• Rita Boto, Senior Veterinary Manager for Area E1

• Bernadethe Lactu, Area Veterinary Manager (Cluster 12)

• OVs Alexandru Rus and Bugra Gelgec at site level

Together, the group visited Chesterfield Poultry and Noble Foods, both operating with Plant Inspection Assistants (PIAs) rather than MHIs. The programme included plant tours, meetings with site management, and direct engagement with our OVs and food business operators (FBOs).

The visits created valuable opportunities to:

• Observe joint delivery of official controls in PIA plants

• Engage with FBOs and operational teams

• Gather feedback from both FBOs and OVs on the transition to the new delivery model

The feedback received was overwhelmingly positive:

• FBOs praised the transition, highlighting a supportive culture, strong managerial presence, and positive staff morale. They expressed real satisfaction with the dedicated OV teams assigned to their sites.

• OVs reported feeling supported, noting the strong role of their local management team and the positive environment created in HallMark.

Seeing the collaboration between OVs and site management first-hand was encouraging and a clear sign of strong working relationships across the board.

We would like to thank Rita and Bernadethe for arranging the visits, extend our gratitude to the FBOs for hosting us so warmly, and thank the FSA for their ongoing partnership.

This collaboration shows how working together strengthens delivery, builds trust, and ensures the highest standards across the industry.