45-year US haggis ban ‘to be lifted in months’
SCOTLAND’S national dish could finally be served in the US within months – although with one crucial ingredient missing.
For the past 45 years, haggis has been banned from America after food officials declared it ‘unfit for human consumption’.
Traditional haggis recipes include minced sheep’s lungs and the dish has historically been contained in a sheep’s stomach.
It is hoped the US is about to overturn a blanket ban on the import of lamb products, which would mean haggis could be sold there.
However, a ban on offal is likely to remain in place, so haggis manufacturers hoping to cash in on a potential £20 million market would have to abandon their traditional recipe.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘A significant milestone was reached on September 16 when the US concluded its public consultation on proposals to lift the ban on the importation of lamb from the EU.
‘Discussions with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) are ongoing and we are hopeful that the restrictions on the export of lamb and haggis will be lifted during the first half of next year.
‘We continue to support Scottish haggis producers as they work to find a recipe which meets current US requirements and help unlock the massive opportunities presented by the ten million US citizens with Scottish heritage.’
Haggis, along with other foods made with sheep’s lungs, have been declared unfit for human consumption in the US since 1971.
Last year, former Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead led a coalition of business and farming leaders to investigate ways of increasing Scotland’s exports to America and held a series of key meetings with US government officials.
He said yesterday: ‘This is great news as it will bring massive exports of traditional haggis and will create many jobs in Scotland. The recent development will allow Scotland to promote our national dish in America as well as provide millions of Americans of Scottish descent an opportunity to celebrate their ancestry.’
For Simon Howie, whose Perthshirebased business The Scottish Butcher supplies leading UK supermarkets, the chance for lucrative sales would mean providing an alternative.
Mr Howie said: ‘A different source of protein is needed to replace the parts, so maybe something with the shoulder or another part of the lamb. This would be really good for business as we would increase our product and increase the presence of haggis worldwide.’ The US has a history of banning imports from Europe on health grounds. In the 1990s, the USDA prohibited EU beef imports following the arrival of mad cow disease in Britain.