This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Scotch beef back in Belgium
10/05/2006
A dinner at the UK Ambassador to Belgium's Brussels residence tonight will relaunch Scotch beef back into the Belgian market following the resumption of normal export trade earlier this month.
Food Minister Ross Finnie also hosted a tasting session at Van Engelandt, one of the leading quality meat importers.
Mr Finnie said:
"Ten years ago Scotch Beef was regarded as one of world's top quality products. It was in great demand in the leading butchers and restaurants of the world.
"The traditional methods of rearing and producing quality beef herds in Scotland over that period have not changed but the industry has moved with the times. Scottish farmers have used science to improve further the taste of their produce and introduced tighter specifications for quality.
"Today Scotch beef is back on the European menu and you will notice only one difference - the quality is better than ever."
Twenty four restaurants in Belgium have already agreed to add Scotch beef to their menus.
The Belgian visit is one in a series of engagements being undertaken by the Food Minister in conjuction with Quality Meat Scotland in order to support the campaign to market Scotch beef and its return to European markets.
The industry in Scotland can provide full traceability for all beef exported. The beef available for tasting at Van Engelandt was from the Moss Brothers, Ocklester Farm, Orkney and supplied by ScotBeef, Bridge of Allan.