Scotland's meat industry leaders are looking for positive action on two key fronts this year, a major meat trade, farming and food sector gathering was told in Edinburgh.

 

"Delivering practical results from last year's Beef 2020 Report and the commissioning in April of Food Standards Scotland (FSS) are the development highlights which we believe can give fresh impetus to Scotland's meat chain this year," said Alan McNaughton, president of the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW).

 

Speaking after hosting a New Year seminar and lunch in Edinburgh, attended by 60 government and business leaders covering the meat trade, farming and food sectors, Mr McNaughton said the Beef 2020 Report was an excellent piece of work, for which the 2015 challenge was to deliver the right investment and growth opportunities for the beef chain.

 

On the prospect of working with the new FSS, he commented that SAMW was looking forward to building a 'constructive, fruitful and beneficial relationship' with the new organisation to secure better outcomes for consumers and industry than has been achieved in the past.

 

"On both fronts, there are extremely positive opportunities which government and the food and farming industry need to grasp with both hands this year," he said. "SAMW will certainly be playing its part in seeking to maximise the impact of these two key developments."

 

Appropriately, given the president's comments, the SAMW event was addressed by Geoff Ogle, Director of the Food Standards Agency in Scotland until the end of March, and Chief Executive designate of FSS from April 1, and Jim McLaren, Chairman of Quality Meat Scotland and the driving force behind Beef 2020.