Measures concerning the production of microbiologically safe meat can be divided into those guided by the more or less classical, rigid “legislative” approach and by a more flexible “scientific” approach based on risk analysis. Therefore intervention should not unduly focus solely on the abattoir or food processing stages as is done with the classical, rigid “legislative” system, but should also target the risks associated with preharvest production stages. A comparison between the “legislative” and the “scientific” approach shows that properly structured HACCP-like systems, applied from farm to fork, as proposed by the new EU legislation and the Dutch implication of an integrated quality control system offer the best available approach to food safety assurance.