May 23 2017
WHISKY DIALOGUE TO CONTINUE
Scottish Tenant Farmers Association
News Release
17TH May 2017
WHISKY DIALOGUE TO CONTINUE
The Scottish Tenant Farmers Association met yesterday with the Scottish Whisky Association to discuss concerns over the reduction in availability of distillery by products for animal feed, such as draff, pot ale syrup and dark grains. The current shortage of what has been a valuable source of protein and a staple ingredient of animal feed for decades, has come about as a consequence of the increasing use of anaerobic digesters and biomass plants to convert by products into energy.
Commenting on the meeting, STFA environment spokesperson and Glenlivet farmer, Alastair Nairn said: “We had a constructive and positive meeting with representatives of the Scottish Whisky Association and NFUS president, Andrew McCornick and had a frank discussion about our concerns over depleted supplies of distillery by products. This gave us all the opportunity to develop a greater understanding of each other’s position and the requirements of our respective industries. We were pleased to hear the SWA express its support for the livestock industry and the importance in achieving a balance between the supply of animal feed and the demand from livestock producers.
“There was agreement that the dialogue between whisky producers and livestock farmers should be continued and expanded to include the wider supply chain, such as feed merchants. This would create a wider understanding of seasonal and regional fluctuations in the availability of distillery by products and the corresponding demand from livestock producers. There was also general agreement that a collaborative approach should be adopted create a more stable market and it was hoped that the Scottish Government would assist in this endeavour.”