20 May 2008

1 minute read

Europe

Rural Affairs and Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead will officially open Beef Expo 2008 at Perth Agricultural Centre which is expected to attract thousands of beef farmers and industry professionals from the UK and Ireland as well as trade missions from overseas.

Speaking ahead of the event, Mr Lochhead said:

"The Beef Expo is rightly recognised as the showcase event for Britain's beef industry and I am particularly pleased to see this year's event returning to Scotland for the first time since 2004.

"The Scottish livestock sector continues to be crucially important to the farming industry in Scotland accounting for 37 per cent of Scottish agricultural output and worth around £1.5 billion to our GDP. It is a major contributor to our sustainable economic growth.

"Beef is the most economically important sector in rural Scotland which produces around 180,000 tonnes of beef a year worth some £400 million.

"Our beef is underpinned by stringent quality assurance standards offering guarantees to the consumer on aspects of quality, provenance and animal welfare. This stands it apart from its competitors, making Scotch Beef world renowned for its excellent quality."

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