Blueprint for Scots beef aims to secure future
Farming leaders are warning about shortages of Scottish beef unless steps are taken now to secure the future of the industry.
Cattle numbers have dropped by 20% in Scotland during the past 15 years, according to NFU Scotland, which launched a Blueprint for Beef on Tuesday (27 November).
NFUS president Nigel Miller said: “Scotch beef is a world-recognised brand – it is valued by consumers as a mark of quality and is delivering a premium of 20-30p/kg back to the industry.
“That is something worth protecting, but we will only do that if we collaborate as a Scottish industry and keep control of our brand.”
Although at farm level calf registrations were up and prices were increasing, long-term prospects were still on the edge, he added.
“The threats are all too apparent. We have been losing critical mass and our cow numbers are down 20 percent on 1997,” said Mr Miller.
“At processor level, where there is a huge push to maintain throughput, 17% of cattle going through Scottish abattoirs are now from England or Northern Ireland.”
NFUS is taking its beef plan to a series of Livestock Live roadshows, that started at Dingwall, in the Highlands, on Tuesday (27 November).
The blueprint sets out how the beef industry can remain at the cornerstone of Scottish farming in the years ahead.
Mr Miller said: “We need a blueprint that will help build cow numbers and sustain beef production in Scotland in the long run.
“We need to help herds with their profitability and efficiency, provide our plants with the right kind of animals to optimise processing and have a system in place that feeds information on carcass quality, meat eating quality and animal health back to the farmgate.”
Improving communication between the consumer, the processor, the market and the producer will be key to the future wellbeing and development of the Scotch beef brand, he added.
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