Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Food, has announced that he is to host a summit in October for all those with an interest in the malt supply chain.
Mr Lochhead said Scotch Whisky was an iconic Scottish product. "We must do all we can to support every stage of its production here in Scotland - from our barley farmers through to our whisky producers - to maintain its provenance credentials." NFU Scotland president Nigel Miller said: "As we move into a new CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) era, many farm businesses must review their production systems and attempt to future proof business models." Clear signals and balanced contracts would safeguard the future supply of crops such as malting barley and distilling wheat. "This must be the right moment for Scottish Government to bring all players in the malt supply chain together to discuss a strategy to link malting barley growers to Scotland's distilleries through a collaborative pact."
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