Rural and Environment

In the news: Red meat levy success

November 16, 2018 by Fergus Ewing MSP No Comments | Category Agriculture, Farming

An amendment to the UK Government’s Agriculture Bill will see the issue of the Red Meat Levy finally resolved.

Levy paying rural businesses in Scotland are currently losing out on up to £2 million each year, as the levy is collected at a point of slaughter regardless of where animals spent their lives and where value has been added to beef cattle, sheep and pigs.

The Scottish Government and industry – particularly QMS and Jim McLaren, its recently retired Chairman – have worked tirelessly for the last decade to find a sustainable solution that would ensure that the monies raised through this levy could be used to benefit the Scottish quality meat sector, including marketing and promotion of Scotch beef, Scotch lamb and specially selected pork to consumers at home and abroad.

Welcoming the amendment, Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said:

“I am delighted at long last to secure an agreement to repatriate the red meat levy, which will undoubtedly benefit our livestock industry. It is only right that the levy bodies have the ability to repatriate levy monies across borders and I congratulate the industry – and especially QMS – on their tireless efforts in persuading the UK Government on the need to deliver this change.”

Tags: Fergus Ewing, Red Meat Levy, Scotland, Scottish Government, UK Government

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