Ewing in talks with whisky body

As resentment over renewables continues to rumble in the livestock sector, it has been revealed that rural secretary Fergus Ewing is to meet representative of the whisky industry in round-table talks to discuss the wider implications of this year’s weather extremes.

With large quantities of the by-products which were formerly used as livestock food now being redirected to bio-energy plants, there has been a considerable reduction in the availability of these resources in some of the country’s main livestock areas, where they have provided a local source of feed to supplement foragebased diets. The situation has been exacerbated this year after the protracted wet and cold spring saw stocks wiped out and the drought of June and July severely reduced yields of grass-based fodder.

Weather conditions around the globe have also seen grain production fall and made compound feeds more expensive, the combination of situations which has led livestock producers to question of grant aid and government encouragement to use the by products for fuel.

Announcing the meeting with the Scotch Whisky Association, which will take place in the coming weeks, Ewing said the weather has had a lengthy and significant impact on the rural economy: “That is why I am delighted that the Scotch Whisky Association has agreed to hold a roundtable meeting with me to discuss areas of mutual interest, including the management of draff and other distillery byproducts, which will allow the industry to continue to provide feed as well as contribute towards meeting Scotland’s challenging renewable heat and climate change targets.

“I believe it is vital that our rural communities know that this government is on its side and doing all it can within its powers to provide support where required, and that is exactly what I am determined to do.”