Beef 2020

[Crex]

The Scottish beef industry group, 'Beef 2020' have released their report setting out their recommendations to improve the prospects and competitiveness of the beef industry.

Their is nothing particularly ground breaking in the report, but the government has set aside £45million of the new CAP payments to implement some of the recommendations, so this may be one report that doesn't sit on the shelf gathering dust.

Any one read it? What do you think?

 

[Chae1]

Sounds like the money will be available to farmers that haven't done anything. eg EId, sheds, handling facilities. farmers that have already invested won't get anything.

How are they going to increase cow numbers and production on a grass based system!? How many months of the year do we have grass growth in Scotland?

The better marketing of our product sounds a good idea. As for databases and bench marking. We can already benchmark using our local abbatoir Mcintosh Donald. I can compare all my slaughter details with other producers. Should be easy on a national basis. I backup all my cattle data through NMLD, surely this can be used for bench marking. Data on program must tally with CTS, BCMS so difficult to fudge figure's. Slaughter houses and markets can provide kill data and sale prices/weights through NLMD also. So again difficult to change.

I m sure qms etc will manage to develop a much more complicated system to create jobs for the boys and secure more funding.

@Gilchro

 

[Crex]

Possibly. I see a lot of time and money going to this database myself. As suckled calf producers it would be nice to know how our calves got on. All we know is the buyers keep coming back, so they must do okay!

Personally I'd like to see a focus on meat yield and quality, and folk getting paid accordingly, as opposed to the EUROP system.

 

[Ashtree]

Possibly. I see a lot of time and money going to this database myself. As suckled calf producers it would be nice to know how our calves got on. All we know is the buyers keep coming back, so they must do okay!

Personally I'd like to see a focus on meat yield and quality, and folk getting paid accordingly, as opposed to the EUROP system.

No doubt giving the suck calf producer visibility on how his stock kill out and grade etc, is a really great tool.
We have that tool in Ireland through membership of ICBF. €60 per annum, but great benchmarking information available from it.

A

 

[Cowgirl]

I read it and was most concerned about the recommendation of a Johnes control scheme - according to our local vet practice the BVD scheme isn't going that well - heaven help us if they go ahead with Johnes. The database seems a great idea but I bet it would be very expensive. We've just bought a weighing system - would be just our luck if we could have got money for buying it!

 

[Wooly]

So where is the money coming from when the Scots vote for independence......... and they are out of Europe..........and their Scottish Groat (that replaced the pound) is worthless?!?

 

[Hilly]

So where is the money coming from when the Scots vote for independence......... and they are out of Europe..........and their Scottish Groat (that replaced the pound) is worthless?!?

Hopefully they will change t the pound to the "£thistle£" then the farming community will make city bankers look poor !