The Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW) has stated that the decline of Scotland’s beef industry has been “exacerbated by Government policy inaction”.
SAMW highlighted that rather than backing sustainable domestic production and prioritising the rebuilding of Scotland’s national herd, Government policies had increased reliance on imported beef to feed the nation.
The Association said it “makes no sense” to transport beef from the other side of the world to feed the nation “when our own farmers are capable of producing premium-quality beef to world-leading standards, if only Government would give the industry some encouragement”.
It went on to say that favouring imports from “far-flung suppliers” in preference to boosting the domestic industry would mean that Scotland was “opening its doors ever wider to products of questionable welfare provenance while adding to global carbon emissions”.
“Current policies are simply not working,” said Alan Brown, president of the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW). “The serious decline of our domestic beef sector is nothing less than a disgrace.
“We are watching the slow dismantling of a high-quality, world-renowned industry. Choosing not to intervene in the sector’s decline, in the name of environmental goals, is a false economy. It is nothing more than greenwashing of the most appalling kind.”
Greenwashing “undermines true sustainability”
Brown continued: “Those who understand and appreciate our industry know that homegrown Scotch Beef is part of the climate solution - not the problem. Relying on imported beef to meet consumer demand while ignoring its true environmental cost is not just disingenuous - it’s harmful.”
Brown also emphasised the “untapped economic potential” of the Scotch Beef supply chain - from farm to processor to retailer - at a time when the UK Government is actively seeking to grow GDP.
He said: “Scotland’s red meat processing sector already generates over £1 billion annually and supports more than 3,000 jobs. With the right Government support, we could achieve even more. Increased domestic production would also drive on-farm investment and rural growth - helping address some of the UK’s wider economic challenges.”
Industry under pressure
This call for action follows pressure on SAMW member companies, who are striving to maintain supply chains despite a “serious decline” in the national cattle herd over the last decade. Scottish meat processors are currently operating at only 70% capacity, said SAMW, with weekly production down 9% over the past four years alone.
SAMW stated that reversing this decline will take time - at least three years of dedicated on-farm breeding and production are needed to stabilise the current situation. In the meantime, it found the UK is becoming increasingly dependent on imported beef to meet domestic demand.
However, SAMW also said that relying on imports is a “risky strategy”. As other regions around the world face their own supply shortages, access to foreign beef cannot be guaranteed. Disruption to global trade, coupled with limited availability, ultimately leads to one outcome - increased prices for consumers.
SAMW calls for strategic change
Alan Brown commented: “This issue has been raised with Government time and again, yet nothing has changed. We are now at a tipping point.
“Without urgent and strategic intervention, we risk losing a cornerstone of Scotland’s agricultural identity and businesses failing - sacrificed to unsustainable global imports and short-sighted policy decisions.”
