Local MSP Maree Todd, SNP, is demanding that the UK government protect Scottish produce by upholding the Protected Food Name scheme in all future trade deals.

This comes in response to the UK Government’s omission of Scottish products from the EU-Canada trade deal (Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreements (CETA)) and of key Scottish Protected Food Names in EU trade deals with Japan and Mexico.

SNP Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity Fergus Ewing has written to Michael Gove to seek assurances around the protection of UK food names in EU trade deals, without which our producers could be commercially disadvantaged. Fergus Ewing previously wrote to Gove’s predecessor, Andrea Leadsom, on the same issue but never received a response.

Maree Todd said:

Maree Todd

“The EU Protected Food Name scheme has safeguarded high quality Scottish products from Orkney and Shetland such as Orkney Scottish Island Cheddar, Orkney beef, Orkney lamb, Shetland lamb and native Shetland wool from cheap knock-offs, but Michael Gove seems all too willing to take this protection away from Scottish producers and open the floodgates to cheaper products appearing on our supermarket shelves from overseas.”

“We cannot gamble with Scotland’s £14 billion food and drink sector, where provenance of product is paramount, and allow cheaper imitations to undercut our first class, wholesome produce. “

“The UK government must meaningfully engage with the devolved governments to ensure that their interests are protected. We cannot let Westminster’s Brexit shambles leave Scottish producers high and dry in the global trading marketplace.”

See Farmer’s Journal: Scotch Beef Left Out of Trade Deals