What’s Your Beef?

It is well-established that Scotland produces some of the best red meat in the world. We also have a strong tradition of exporting fine produce and cattle to everywhere from Beijing to Buenos Aires to satisfy connoisseur demand.

This global demand has, as for many of Scotland’s exports, never been higher and producers across the country are being encouraged to look to the long term to prepare for rapidly expanding market opportunities. With the world’s hunger for Scotch beef continuing to grow and its market price continuing to rise, new markets and export opportunities arise for every day.

We know how hard our producers have been, and will be working to satisfy this demand, and we also know that they require support to do this efficiently. It is therefore as important as ever that Scotland receives a fair share of the investment and support available to our competitors. A crucial factor in the success of Scotland’s farming industry, be it livestock or arable, is the European Common Agricultural Policy. We are working hard in Scotland and Brussels to ensure the best possible deal in terms of CAP – and that means a fair share of the budget.

Scotland’s producers need a Common Agricultural Policy budget which allows our meat industry to flourish now and also to prepare for the future.

While the powers to affect this remain with Westminster, the UK Government will have a role to play in ensuring a policy framework is in place which supports and provides for Scotland’s red meat industry, rather than one which holds it back.

Unfortunately, the situation at present is that Scotland gets a pretty raw deal in terms of CAP budget. Previous UK Governments and key decision-makers have failed us in this respect and I, and my Scottish Government colleagues, are calling on the UK Government, on behalf of Scotland’s farmers, to do what they can to support our producers.

Forecasts show that in an independent Scotland we will see vastly improved CAP investment of between £100 a £200 million extra each year, with the decisions which affect us all, particularly our producers, being taken by those who know our farming system best. That’s my idea of a fair deal.

Dental Strategy Launched

I am very proud to be part of a Scottish Government which is delivering on our election commitments and tackling the problems of the accessibility of dental treatment in the North East after many years of neglect. I am also delighted that in the period since the SNP Scottish Government came to power we have seen a marked increase in the level of access to an NHS dentist that people across Scotland enjoy. That we are listening to the issues people face and living up to our promises is something I am will be welcomed across the region.

Good dental hygiene is something that is vital to everyone’s health and wellbeing. This is especially true of vulnerable groups and dental neglect can often be connected to other health problems.

This highlights the importance of the new Scottish Government Dental Strategy, launched this week, with a focus on priority groups such as the elderly, the mentally ill and homeless people. Maintaining oral health can be very challenging for vulnerable groups and this new strategy will make sure that these people have the same opportunities as others to enjoy good oral health.

The new strategy, backed up with £1.4m funding a year, will ensure that people in these priority groups get the treatment they need to prevent oral disease, and are included in a consistent and effective strategy for good oral health across Scotland.