Tag: food

4 Comments

Latest – Alcohol consumption plummets in last 17 years

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson OBA From The Scottish Health Survey 2023 – volume 1: main report, published today, the above, graph showing a steady but limited fall in average alcohol consumption in the early years of the devolved Scottish Government (Labour/Lib Dem) then a sharper fall under the SNP from 2008.1 The Minimum Unit Pricing legislation came into effect from May 2018. Research by Newcastle University published in May 2021 found that alcohol sales dropped by 7.7% in Scotland following the introduction of a minimum price, when compared to north-east England. A study published in 2021 found reductions in overall purchases of alcohol, largely … Continue reading Latest – Alcohol consumption plummets in last 17 years

7 Comments

8% of UKthe population but 16% of the meat exports – 8% of the UK population but 31% of total UK food and drink exports

johnrobertson834

Many thanks to Cuckooshoe for alerting me to this, from Meatex on 16 October 2024, but of no interest to BBC Scotland: Scotland’s red meat and offal exports beyond the UK have experienced a significant rise, reaching a value of £137 million, according to the latest survey by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS). The report highlights a remarkable recovery in the sector, with a 26% increase in export value compared to previous years.1 From ADHB on 1 October 2024: The latest figures from HMRC show that from January to June 2024, total UK red meat exports were up 2% in volume … Continue reading 8% of UKthe population but 16% of the meat exports – 8% of the UK population but 31% of total UK food and drink exports

4 Comments

Giftgate – Sarwar and Ross get freebies worth 20 times those of any SNP politician!

johnrobertson834

Under the headline What expensive gifts have Scotland’s politicians declared? and the above image, BBC Scotland report: In the wake of a row over gifts received by high-ranking members of the Labour party, people are now scrutinising the freebies accepted by politicians in Scotland. These items, sometimes worth thousands of pounds, have to be declared on a public record. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar declared the highest value of gifts, at £10,117.48, closely followed by Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross’ £10,028.72. Clearly disappointed, BBC Scotland leave this till well down their report: Health Secretary Neil Gray, whose remit also includes … Continue reading Giftgate – Sarwar and Ross get freebies worth 20 times those of any SNP politician!

5 Comments

Mussel-bound – Scotland’s shellfish industry booms

johnrobertson834

From the Scottish Government today: In 2023, 10,311 tonnes of common mussel were produced for the table market, this is the highest level of common mussel production recorded in Scotland; During 2023, 3.9 million Pacific oyster shells were produced for the table market; Common mussel and Pacific oyster remain the main species produced in terms of value and tonnage. Common mussel production increased by 13%; The Scottish shellfish farming sector is estimated to be worth approximately £14.1 million at first sale value, an increase of 36% on the 2022 value. https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-shellfish-farm-production-survey-2023/documents/ Continue reading Mussel-bound – Scotland’s shellfish industry booms

5 Comments

Food poverty – Only BBC Scotland reports Leeds University research and then distorts it for your harm

johnrobertson834

By Professor John Robertson So, new research out from Leeds University on BBC Reporting Scotland, to tell us First, all about the struggles of the above North Ayrshire mother. Why North Ayrshire? This: According to a new study, North Ayrshire is the area of Scotland where people are most likely to need help to put food on the table. BBC analysis of research from Leeds University and the consumer group Which? looked at 363 councils across the UK, assessing neighbourhoods on measures such as distance to large supermarkets, the number of families on free school meals and households in food … Continue reading Food poverty – Only BBC Scotland reports Leeds University research and then distorts it for your harm

3 Comments

98% of Scottish lamb exports goes to EU and far less than the other 2%, well actually FA, goes to Oz

johnrobertson834

Talking-up Scotland costs nothing so donate to our friends at  https://www.broadcastingscotland.scot/donate/ or take out a subscription to the Scots Independent newspaper in which I have a column, at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/product-category/subscriptions/ According to Politico, in June 2023: Prime Minister Boris Johnson personally apologized to his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison for Britain’s decision to join the EU almost 50 years earlier as he signed away greater access to Britain’s beef markets than had ever been conceived by his senior officials. https://www.politico.eu/article/boris-johnson-sold-out-uk-farmers-australia-trade-deal-uk/ On 14 March 2024, we hear from National World: Brexit: no British beef exported to Australia under UK’s first post-EU trade deal due to red … Continue reading 98% of Scottish lamb exports goes to EU and far less than the other 2%, well actually FA, goes to Oz

8 Comments

Cheese producers are dodging Scottish Government regulations to follow lower UK standards and risk E.coli deaths

johnrobertson834

I’ve had a bit of a reaction to my previous post suggesting that cheese production in Scotland could not use raw milk (unpasteurised) like the Lancashire dairy whose cheese has recently killed one man in Scotland. The Food Standards Agency Scotland regulation is clear: It is an offence to place raw milk or cream on the market for direct consumption in Scotland – this includes distribution. The ban includes sheep, goats, buffalo and any other species farmed for its milk. Raw drinking milk and cream has historically been recognised as a high risk to public health as it was linked … Continue reading Cheese producers are dodging Scottish Government regulations to follow lower UK standards and risk E.coli deaths

10 Comments

Deadly E.coli-contaminated cheese is from Lancashire where unpasteurised milk for cheese production is allowed unlike in Scotland

johnrobertson834

BBC Scotland has an extended report on the death in Scotland and does, in the text, tell us the cheese is from Preston in Lancashire. Prof Pennington, above, is on BBC Breakfast to tell us twice that E.coli is more common in Scotland than in England but fails to mention that Scotland, with only 8% of the UK population, has a far higher presence of the bacteria-carrying animals with, for example, almost 30% of the UK herd of breeding cattle and 4% of the massive EU herd. https://www.nfus.org.uk/farming-facts/what-we-produce.aspx We also do not hear from Pennington or any other media, as … Continue reading Deadly E.coli-contaminated cheese is from Lancashire where unpasteurised milk for cheese production is allowed unlike in Scotland