Pig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    • September 2025
    • August 2025
    • 2025 Maximising Pig Health supplement
    • July 2025
    • June 2025
    • 2025 Innovation supplement
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Buildings supplement
    • February 2025
    • 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Pig Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • 2024 Innovation supplement
    • 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • 2024 Buildings Supplement
    • March 2024
    • 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • Health Supplement
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
Podcast
Pig WorldPig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    1. September 2025
    2. August 2025
    3. 2025 Maximising Pig Health supplement
    4. July 2025
    5. June 2025
    6. 2025 Innovation supplement
    7. May 2025
    8. April 2025
    9. March 2025
    10. 2025 Buildings supplement
    11. February 2025
    12. 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    13. January 2025
    14. December 2024
    15. November 2024
    16. 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    17. October 2024
    18. September 2024
    19. August 2024
    20. 2024 Pig Health supplement
    21. July 2024
    22. June 2024
    23. 2024 Innovation supplement
    24. 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    25. May 2024
    26. April 2024
    27. 2024 Buildings Supplement
    28. March 2024
    29. 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    30. February 2024
    31. January 2024
    32. December 2023
    33. November 2023
    34. 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    35. October 2023
    36. September 2023
    37. Health Supplement
    Featured

    September 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    September 1, 2025
    Recent

    September 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    September 1, 2025

    August 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    August 1, 2025

    2025 Maximising Pig Health supplement now available

    August 1, 2025
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
LinkedIn X (Twitter)
Pig World
Brexit

Scottish meat wholesalers warn of ‘substantial market turbulence’ ahead

Iain HoeyBy Iain HoeySeptember 14, 20203 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email
Andy McGowan

In a letter to Secretary of State Alister Jack, president of the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers (SAMW) Andy McGowan has warned that the red meat sector is heading for ‘substantial market turbulence’ during the UK’s exit from the European Union.

The letters puts forward that that unless the UK Government provides ‘much-needed clarity’ concerning the practical and technical aspects of how Scottish companies can continue to trade with customers in the EU, the whole of Scotland’s farming and meat processing chain will be plunged into a period of ‘great uncertainty’.

It also included the comment that the new request for support from the Secretary of State for Scotland follows a similar request to the Defra Secretary of State, George Eustice, made by the British Meat Processors Association (BMPA) in England and Wales. Mr McGowan pointed out that the BMPA request, which was made a number of weeks ago, was still awaiting a reply.

A list of practical requests was included in the letter including:

  • That the UK clarifies the precise format of the health mark to be applied, for both processors located in both GB and NI, and when the new format can be rolled out for use on the factory floor so that companies can finalise the purchase of labelling and packaging materials, which can have long lead-in times.
  • That the UK CVO has communicated these changes to our internal certification and health mark arrangements with her opposite numbers in other 3rd country competent authorities and received acknowledgement and agreement from them to start using these marks on product exported to their territories.
  • That the UK has devised a workable scheme that allows groupage and mixed loads to be sent to the EU and that companies have advanced knowledge of the details so they can adapt their product despatch procedures accordingly.
  • That the UK has sufficient affordable veterinary (or other) resource to provide the significantly increased volume of health certification to the timetable that the industry will require.
  • That access to health certification documentation will be largely automated, business friendly and at low cost.

“If left unresolved, this lack of action could cause untold and long-lasting damage to the livestock supply chain throughout the UK, and especially here in Scotland where livestock farming is central to the viability of rural communities,” said Mr McGowan.

“Trade with our customer base in Europe was worth an estimated £85 million in 2019, so greatly helps to underpin some 3,000 jobs across the Scottish red meat processing sector along with 1,000s more in the primary livestock farming sector. We therefore believe that it is crucial that all current red meat export activity to the EU market is maintained.  This will provide viability for the UK red meat sector, and primary livestock producers, during what is already a period of great uncertainty which could, if not carefully managed by the UK Government, lead to substantial market turbulence.

“Furthermore, there is a significant amount of intra-company trade between processing plants in Scotland and Northern Ireland and the lack of clarity around practical procedures required to move meat between these two parts of the United Kingdom is a serious concern.”

Mr McGowan added that all the issues raised by the Association’s letter were ‘within the gift of UK Ministers’ and were therefore separate from the ongoing trade negotiations between Brussels and Whitehall.

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticlePork export bans lead to pork price drops and ‘massive uncertainty’ in Germany
Next Article German export bans will have ‘serious ramifications’ for the market
Iain Hoey

Read Similar Stories

Straw prices for the week ending September 7, 2025

September 3, 2025

Farm assurance debate: An important change driven by the supply chain

September 3, 2025

Wildlife Trusts report ‘lacks context and hard evidence of pig sector environmental damage’ – NPA chief exec

September 2, 2025
Latest News

Straw prices for the week ending September 7, 2025

September 3, 2025

Farm assurance debate: An important change driven by the supply chain

September 3, 2025

Farm assurance debate: A commitment to welfare excellence

September 3, 2025
Sponsored Content

Enhancing Weaned Pig Health and Performance with Zinc and Iron

August 1, 2025

THE GATEKEEPER OF RESPIRATORY HEALTH – MYCOPLASMA HYOPNEUMONIAE (M.HYO)

April 30, 2024
Current Pig Industry jobs
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1773 Aberdeenshire

    • Aberdeenshire
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Senior Pig Stockperson – Ref 1772 Aberdeenshire

    • Aberdeenshire
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Senior Pig Stockperson – Ref 1771 Australia

    • Queensland, Australia
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
GETTING IN TOUCH
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Meet The Editors
  • About Us
  • Email Newsletters
  • Subscribe
  • Reuse permissions
OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
PARTNER EVENTS
RELATED SITES
  • Farmers Weekly
  • Agronomist & Arable Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • National Pig Awards
  • Pigs Tomorrow
  • Poultry News
  • Weekly Tribune
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.