WINDHOEK – The Head of the Meat Board’s Classification Services, Petrus Maritz, took part in, among others, a discussion forum regarding the current applicability of the South African Classification System in Pretoria, South Africa. Consumers increasingly demand more quality assurance and require that the classification system that is also used in Namibia, must comply with it, something that had not been the case previously. A quality assurance system must include all aspects, from meat production to meat consumption. The Feedlot and Red Meat Abattoir Association indicated that the classification system complies with the requirements to facilitate trade, while the Red Meat Producers Organisation indicated that the classification system was outdated and should be reviewed, among others by being more user friendly with fewer fat classes and including tenderness. Lamb producers indicated that the AB class be incorporated with the A class. A task team was appointed to evaluate the latest information and to come up with suggestions.