What is the difference between Scotch beef and Scottish beef? Only the latter is sure to be from cattle born north of the border; much of the rest is from store stock bought in England and Wales. The distinction is a longstanding source of tension in Scottish farming and processing, and suddenly causing controvesy following publication of the Scottish Executive's strategic development proposals. Suggested tightening of the definitions worries processors, who are currently paying a painful premium of more than 20p per kilo over the English price for R4L cattle, and claim a more restrictive regime would cause them serious difficulties given the increasingly severe shortage of locally bred stock. {{M/E MEAT }}

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