Farming: SNP to look into devolving meat hygiene inspections

Details of a feasibility study on Scotland running its own meat hygiene service is likely to be announced at the Royal Highland Show later this month by the Cabinet secretary for rural affairs, Richard Lochhead.

This follows the decision of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) at a meeting in Belfast last week to go ahead with plans to recoup from the industry the full cost of meat inspection in abattoirs and meat plants over three years starting from next April.

The Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers and national farmers Union of Scotland have been pressing the FSA to improve efficiency and reduce meat inspection costs before saddling the industry with a bill of as much as 32 million.

Speaking at Scotland's inaugural Beef Event 2011 yesterday at Corskie, Garmouth, Moray, Lochhead said the Scottish Government was taking the industry's concerns on board. "We will be looking at the feasibility of devolving meat inspection services to Scotland and I will be in a position to make an announcement at the Royal Highland Show on 23 June," he said.

Congratulating the National Beef Association (NBA) on organising Scotland's first national beef event, Lochhead predicted a bright future for beef production in Scotland. "Producers are benefiting from higher prices, beef exports are up by a fifth and the last farm census indicated the decline in beef cow numbers has stabilised," he said.

"We have a world-class beef industry and an animal health record which is second to none, having succeeded in keeping bovine TB out of Scotland and the launch of the Scottish Government's plan to eliminate BVD from that national beef herd."

But the biggest challenge was to ensure that Scotland's voice was heard in forthcoming negotiations on the European Union's common agricultural policy.

"We will work closely with the industry to ensure the interests of Scottish farmers are properly represented," said Lochhead.

Adam Henson, presenter of Countryfile and Lambing Live on BBC television, said the farming industry should be proud of its record in producing food and looking after the countryside.

"British agriculture is one again held in high esteem by the public at large," he said. "With the world population due to increase from six to nine billion by 2050, the role of farmers … was never more important."

The event attracted an estimated 5,000 people and is expected to continue on a biennial basis in tandem with the biennial Scotsheep event organised by the National Sheep Association.

"The huge attendance and the 120 trade stands, shows there is a real desire and need for a specialist beef event in Scotland," said NBA Scotland chairman, Hamish McBean.