LIAM Fox in his role of international trade minister caught the above headline this week when it was alleged that chicken from the US, which is washed in heavily chlorinated water, would be allowed in to the UK as part of post-Brexit trade deals.

It raised fears that the UK was already showing willing to relax safety standards simply to get some deals up and running.

While a whole round of campaigners, including the poultry industry itself, seem concerned that we will lift a ban on chlorine-washed chicken in order to accommodate US poultry farmers, this is a signal that Brexit negotiations will be of biblical proportions.

Think of bendy bananas, sausages, black pudding and EU-recognised PGI status for UK products and the argument over whether to wash fowl in salty water or not will be like a small balloon floating in a very big ocean. Chicken will be small fry in comparison to beef and the ‘hormone’ issue.

But Fox said the issue was a mere detail in lengthy potential trade negotiations, and dismissed a question about whether he would personally eat a chlorine-washed chicken himself.

A man of many faces

INCOMING rural affairs supremo at Westminster, Michael Gove, seems to be a man of many hats.

One minute he’s telling farmers at the likes of the Royal Highland Show that he wants to support quality food production; and the next when speaking to the environmental lobby, he’s telling them that more greening equals qualification for farm subsidies.

That’s all well and good, but maybe he should take more cognisance of the fact that farming puts the dinner on the plates of the nation (voters!) and, while environmental issues are important, they should be tied to sound agricultural policy too.

There are many areas of Scotland, for instance, where extensive livestock is accepted as essential in maintaining habitats for flora and fauna. Also, the rich arable acres of the country are increasingly recognising the benefits of field margin controls and wildlife-friendly ‘corners’.

Mr Gove must be persuaded that a swing to favouring the tweed cap over the bandana is the way forward for re-shaping long-term farm support.

Potential sore heids

SCOTLAND’S finest Blackface sheep put on a superb display in UA’s Stirling mart last weekend, and although there were only three champions at the end of the day – everyone had something to celebrate with.

Each exhibitor was given a miniature of both Botanist gin and Laphroaig whisky, while the champions each received a full-sized bottle of the Bruichladdich Classic single malt with which to celebrate.

Cheers to all for putting on such a great show!

Real sore heids

SOME OF those involved in the Blackie show would go home from the event with a non-alcoholic-induced headache.

The Blackface Sheep Breeders’ Association’s president, Pamela Nicol, had enough hair around to conceal the stitches in a three-inch gash on her head after an altercation with a cow; but not so Michael Burns, Craignell, who was sporting a large bandage across his well-exposed forehead after a sheep in the ring hit him a glancing blow to the bonce.

Other sore heids the next day would have been totally self-inflicted.