BSE-FREE status could help open up new international opportunities for Scottish meat exports, soothing worries about future access to the EU market.

Launching a five week consultation seeking views on possible changes to Scotland's BSE status, Rural Economy Cabinet Secretary Fergus Ewing said: “It is vital in the current climate of uncertainty that we consider all opportunities to drive forward Scotland’s rural economy and seek to develop Scotland’s larder.

"There is considerable support for the view that if Scotland could be upgraded to BSE Negligible Risk status, it would provide an improved global image for Scottish agriculture, offering a potential trade advantage in terms of gaining entry into new markets.

“But we also need to consider carefully all the implications of such a development and hear the views of stakeholders, including retailers, public health specialists and consumers. That is why I would urge all those with an interest in this issue to respond to the consultation.”

Commenting on the move, the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers said: “We welcome the consultation as an important step towards allowing Scotland’s livestock industry to move to negligible risk status for BSE, in keeping with the excellent record achieved by the industry in recent years.

“While the measures which were originally put in place were quite rightly introduced to safeguard consumers, the disease-free record of the Scottish industry in recent years now justifies a move to negligible risk status.

“The consultation, introduced by the Scottish Government, also recognises the difference in disease-free status which now exists between Scotland and England and Wales, a difference which fully supports today’s individual action by the Scottish Government. SAMW will, of course, participate fully in the consultation.”

The ScotGov BSE status consultation will run from August 26 until September 30.