Scottish farmers produce beef and poultry to the highest standards and have supply chains which can be traced back to the point of production, meaning consumers can be confident of the meat they buy is the freshest and of the highest quality.

It has been claimed this week that some of Brazil’s biggest meat processors have been selling rotten beef and poultry for years. Much of the meat produced by the companies is exported to Europe and other parts of the world.

The Scottish farming community is firmly of the view that countries with lower food production standards must not be given unfettered access to the UK market, particularly as Brexit negotiations move forward.

NFU Scotland President Andrew McCornick commented: “The fact that the world’s largest red meat exporter is home to this scandal is a reminder that the best way for consumers to ensure they are buying fresh, quality, and tasty food is to buy food from Scotland which is clearly labelled as Scottish.

“Our farmers work hard to meet high quality production standards, and our supply chains are fully traceable. It is important that food is not being imported into our market that is not produced at standards that are equivalent to, or better than, our own.

“Looking forward to Brexit, Scottish farmers and crofters need reassurances from the UK Government that it will not negotiate trade deals which trade away our high standards of production and welfare and we will remind them of this at every opportunity.”

“Equally, we need Brexit to drive the success of our high-quality food. Currently, two thirds of Scottish red meat turnover comes from sales in the rest of the UK because of the high assurance standards associated with Scottish production.”