Beef bodies in agreement

AFTER the best part of a decade apart, it appears as if the National Beef Association and the Scottish Beef Cattle Association have buried the proverbial hatchet and will in future work together for the good of the Scottish beef sector.

Both parties emerged from a meeting held in Stirling yesterday claiming their first priorities would be to fight together to get a good result for the beef sector from the Common Agricultural Policy reforms as well as keeping cow numbers up and ensuring profitability in the industry.

To do this a core group with representatives from both organisations as well as representatives from the meat processing companies has been set up.

The actual merger of the two bodies will take longer as the UK organisation of the NBA is currently being reviewed.

Commenting after the meeting, Jim Stewart, NBA’s Scottish vice-chairman, said: “The positive attitude of the people around the table today gives me great hope for moving forward in the near future as a single voice for the beef industry in Scotland. The formation of CAP group in the meantime is an example of how we can work together for the future.”