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£1 million funding for farmers
09/11/2010
Scottish Government support for a cost effective way to meet livestock electronic identification (EID) requirements has increased to £5 million, First Minister Alex Salmond said today as he announced a further £1 million funding for the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society (SAOS) to extend the Scottish EID research pilot, during a visit to Balbuthie Farm in Leven.
The Scottish Government, working in partnership with industry, has produced a simplified system to electronically identify all animals - a move which will help reduce bureaucracy and keep trade efficient.
The additional £1 million will further develop and extend the ScotEID database, reporting systems from farms and recording systems that operate at marts, abattoirs and ferry terminals.
Mr Salmond, who was also launching the new St Andrew's Day Scotch Lamb marketing campaign during his visit, said:
"Farming is fundamental to Scottish life. Agriculture plays an integral role in the wider community and sustains jobs in primary production and throughout related sectors.
"This additional £1 million funding brings the total Scottish Government support to finding cost-effective solutions to electronic identification to £5 million. It will benefit farmers as well as meeting EU requirements and protecting animal and public health.
"The Scottish Government has fought tirelessly to secure concessions on this issue - even though we faced an uphill struggle after the UK Government signed up to EID several years ago.
"We are now working to help realise the long-term benefits of electronic identification, such as sharing information along the production and processing chain - all of which could contribute to improving the quality of our world-class produce.
"By 2050, the nine billion people on this planet will need food. With 70 per cent of Scotland only suitable for grazing, one of the best ways we can do that is by raising livestock. Through government and industry working together, we can go further. We can use animal health to reinforce Scotland's position in the globalised markets of tomorrow.
"We already have our fantastic reputation for quality produce. I would like children across Scotland, in our cities, towns and villages to learn about the food they eat, from plough to plate and reinvigorate Scotland's relationship with food, the land, and our farmers. We are working with our schools to make this happen. The potential for food from Scotland is huge, and there is much more we can do to build on it."