Scottish farmers are expecting a boost after the country received BSE negligible status last week.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has awarded Scotland the much sought after status.

Along will Northern Ireland, Scotland is the first region of a member state awarded BSE negligible risk. The status was awarded thanks to Scotland being BSE-free since 2009, and having no cases of BSE in animals born since 2005.

The status could be worth millions of pounds to the beef sector as more parts of the animal could be used and more export markets could be opened up.

Currently a considerable amount of specified risk material (SRM) from bovine carcasses have to be destroyed. BSE negligible risk status allows these SRMs to be reviewed with the potential for more material being utilised.

The most likely destination would be pet food and oil extraction.

The international reputation for Scottish beef will be strengthened with the negligible risk status.

Overseas markets could open up as new destinations for beef and beef products.

Once again this is not a simple picture, as BSE status is often just one of suite of non-tariff barriers which hold up trade preventing exports. Nevertheless clearly this is a step in the right direction.

Enhanced reputation

Jim McLaren, Chairman of Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), said: “The announcement that it has officially recognised the BSE negligible risk status of Scotland is a welcome boost for the Scottish red meat industry.

“The Scotch Beef PGI brand is underpinned by world-leading levels of traceability, assurance and animal welfare standards and this status will certainly enhance the already high reputation of the brand in current and new international markets.

"Along with our whole of life farm assurance, it will act as a further important point of differentiation from beef produced in other parts of the UK," McLaren told the Farmers Journal Scotland