Premium sausage brand debbie & andrew’s has announced it has increased its market position, as well as grown the category and increased distribution.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) Board has agreed for the full implementation of a single approach to front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition labelling after a meeting yesterday (Wednesday).

Western Brand Poultry Products NI is to launch a six-strong range of frozen chicken products at the end of March.

Tesco executive director Lucy Neville-Rolfe has criticised the standard of school-leavers coming into the industry.

Pork butcher Dicksons is to launch its range of sausages into Tesco this month.

Vegans are to be given the same protection against discrimination as religious groups, according to reports.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has said it is looking for a ‘flexible approach’ when it comes to front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition labelling in a new paper publishe on Friday.

Supermarket group Tesco has been heavily criticised for suggesting that consumers eat vegetables to reduce their carbon footprint.

Cancer bosses have dismissed a report by the US meat industry, which it claimed cast doubt on links between meat and cancer, as “more spin than science”.

Multi-industry union Unite and supermarket giant Asda are launching a joint initiative to end “discrimination and unfair treatment” at Asda’s meat and poultry suppliers.

Consumer publication Which? has given the Food Standards Agency (FSA) an overall positive review to celebrate the Agency’s 10th anniversary.

Climate change continues to dominate the headlines and will be the main topic of conversation at the annual Outlook Conference in London in April.

Highland Game is hoping for healthy sales with the news another supermarket has signed up to offer its new diet-friendly sausage.

A new phase in Quality Meat Scotland’s (QMS), £500,000 campaign has been launched in London underground stations.

With more than a decade under its belt, this year's SuperMeat & Fish Awards are already starting to take shape.

A final labelling code of practice for pork has been launched today (Tuesday) by Defra Secretary of State Hilary Benn at the NFU conference in Birmingham.

Morrisons is claiming to be the first major UK supermarket chain to gain Red Tractor status across its entire fresh meat range, a move it claims reaffirms its commitment to British farming.

Current issues in the food industry will be put under the spotlight during a free half-day event at Cranfield University. Sessions will be delivered by expert academics from Cranfield Health and Cranfield School of Management.

Growing consumer demand for quality local sausage has led one Cumbrian producer to invest £250,000 in expanding its production. Plumgarths of Kendal's new production facility was officially opened this week by IGD chief executive, Joanne Denney-Finch OBE.

Provision Trade Federation (PTF) out-going chairman Tony Stanton has warned suppliers to be wary over demands to cut animal products for the environment.

Sales on the UK’s high streets rose by the lowest amount in January for 15 years.

Retailers need to pay a fair price to their suppliers in order to main choice and standards in their business, Waitrose managing director Mark Price has said.

Kerry Group has rolled out new packaging for its cooked meat brand Mattessons.

A film examining the major players in the US agriculture industry opened in the UK on Friday.

The British Pie Awards will return in 2010 to seek out the best products from across the UK. Butchers, bakers and manufacturers will all be able to compete to take home the title of “Supreme Champion” at Melton Mowbray on 19 May.

Pork is "better than Viagra", according to South American politicians and UK pig farmers are now hoping to spread the word this Valentine's Day.

Pork rose in a declining market for both lamb and beef last year, up 3% compared to lamb, which was down 9%. Beef sales were cut by 3%. As a result, pork grew its share of the meat market by 10% in December on the previous year.

Irish meat exports into the UK faced a very tough time last year, according to Aidan Cotter, chief executive, Bord Bía (Irish Food Board). The sterling/euro differential reduced their value by 30% over 2007. Sterling declined against the euro by 18% in 2008 and a further 12% in 2009.

The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has been accused of being on an "anti-meat crusade" after it reportedly refused to acknowledge claims that its high-profile report linking meat and cancer was found to have "significant" flaws. However, the WCRF has hit back, branding the accusations as "outrageous" and "ludicrous", and claiming any flaws were too minor to have affected overall conclusions.

More than 70 new exhibitors are set to make their debut at Foodex 2010, the UK’s leading meat exhibition. The new arrivals will be joining a strong list of over 200 firms, such as Handtmann, Reiser, Interfood Technology, Marel and Ishida Europe, which the organiser, William Reed Business Media, claimed demonstrated the continuing strength of the Foodex brand.

Pet food firm Butcher’s Pet Care is to embark on a major factory build that will keep its operations and 200 staff in Crick, Northamptonshire.

The meat industry’s leading charity, the Butchers’ & Drovers’ Charitable Institution (BDCI) is aiming for a modern new look with the launch of a new logo.

Supermarkets today face the implementation of new regulations monitoring their dealings with suppliers, known as the Grocery Supplier Code of Practice (GSCOP).

Consumption levels of pork and poultry need to be radically reduced if the UK is to pursue environmental sustainability, Peter Melchett, policy director of the Soil Association has claimed.

Morrisons is trialling a larger offal range and cheaper cuts of meat in 54 stores after reporting a 12% jump in value sales of beef, pork and lamb offal last year.

Freedom Food Outdoor Bred Pork will be taking on the sausage production of high-profile company The Black Farmer, also known as agriculturist Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones.

The Help for Heroes (H4H) charity is to benefit from additional donations thanks to two new varieties of pork sausages that are now being sold in Tesco stores across southern England.

A future Conservative government would split up the Food Standards Agency (FSA) as part of its plan to improve public health strategies.

A group of young farmers have been given expert training by processors as part of a special scheme to support the Welsh lamb industry.

A unique study is under way to look at changing trends in the consumption of halal meat in England.
The research, which is the first of its kind, has been commissioned by the newly-formed Halal Steering Group, established by Eblex with key industry figures to guide work in the halal sector and act as a forum for issues related to halal meat.

The number of food and drink sector deals involving UK firms fell by 30% to just 70 last year, comapred with 132 in 2007.

Good news for meat lovers, US doctors are claiming the Atkins diet is better at cutting blood pressure than weight-loss pills.

Haggis sales are soaring as the Scottish nation prepares for its annual celebration of Burns’ Night tonight. Haggis sales for 2009 surged by 19% to £8.8m on the previous year, with Scottish leaders proclaiming the increase as a vote of confidence in Scottish produce.

Ditching a diet of meat for imitations such as tofu and Quorn could be more damaging to the environment, a report from a charity has found.

Highland Game has expanded its range of venison at wholesale chain Costco. The Dundee-based company has launched a range of diced venison cuts, along with its prize-winning fillet, at 10 of Costco's top warehouses in the UK.

This year’s Bpex and Eblex Outlook Conference will focus on climate change and how it affects consumer perception and the working of the supply chain, as well as forecasts for 2010 and beyond.

Butchers and supermarkets insist they are keeping meat on the country’s tables during the deep freeze.

Country of origin labelling is not a "top priority" for consumers, according to new research by the Food Standards Agency.
A new study by the FSA, pulled together from five separate pieces of research, claimed that while there was an awareness of country of origin labelling it was not a main concern for consumers when shopping.

Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) has raided the culinary history books to find warming winter dishes for late-season Scotch Lamb.

The government has announced it is to begin consulting on the creation of a body to oversee supermarkets’ relationships with suppliers.

Kevin Brennan, consumer minister with the department for business, innovation and skills, has accepted the Competition Commission's recommendation for an ombudsman to enforce the Groceries Supply Code of Practice, and will launch a consultation on the issue next month.

A recent Eblex promotion has been hailed its most successful ever, attracting more than 35,000 consumer entries.

The frozen meat and poultry sector grew by 2.1% in value last year and is now worth just under £563m.

Christmas proved a strong retail sales period, but it is unlikely to last. The number of people shopping in the UK on 27 December was almost one-fifth higher than last year. However, experts warn that any sign of recovery could prove a false dawn.

Co-operative Group store supervisor Madeleine Bowers and Somerfield checkout operator Tomieka Shiell are fronting a new national TV campaign for the merged food group.

Turkey and trimming sales over the festive period have helped Sainsbury’s complete record Christmas takings over the past 13 weeks.

Environmental campaigners have hit out at the Government’s Food 2030 strategy for failing to address the problem of “environmentally-destructive factory farming”.

The Conservative Party has pledged it will create a supermarket ombudsman if it wins the election in a speech made by Shadow Environment Secretary Nick Herbert.

The government is to set out its first major food strategy since the Second World War, amid a storm of media reports which claim it will be urging people to go vegetarian.
Defra minister Hilary Benn is to launch the strategy, entitled Food 2030, at the Oxford Farming Conference this morning. However, the Daily Mail has already claimed the report will urge people to stop eating red meat – a claim denied by Defra, which said the report is urging people to eat a healthy and sustainable diet.

Halal issues within the meat sector are to be given greater focus following the establishment of a new industry group.

New research from IGD reveals that 85% of food manufacturers have either stepped up their investment in sustainability or kept it the same during the recession, despite just over two-fifths (42%) believing it is not yet high enough on the shopper’s agenda.

A new code of practice on the labelling of pork products is to be drawn up following an agreement by pork producers, processors and retailers.

Sainsbury's is setting out its stall on sustainability with the roll-out of a carbon footprinting initiative to around 6,500 farmer suppliers. The scheme has already proved a success following trials in the dairy sector and has now been rolled out to beef and lamb producers, with pig and poultry farmers to follow in the New Year.

New voluntary guidelines for food and drink companies should help them better communicate information on portion size.

Asda has announced it is to dramatically increase the size of the Red Tractor logo on all the British meat it sells in its stores.

Paul McCartney has taken his campaign for ‘meat-free Mondays’ to a European Parliament hearing, although he received political brickbats for his trouble.

Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb will feature among some of Britain’s most cherished produce at an upcoming Christmas Market in London this week.

Supermarket chain Waitrose is to supply Welsh Black Beef exclusively through its branches in Wales from December in a launch supported by the Minister for Rural Affairs, Elin Jones AM.

Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) has raised concerns that shoppers could be being misled by plans for a traffic light system of labelling for meat.

Asda has rejected attacks over its commitment to British meat sourcing, branding the Eblex figures on which they are based as “unreliable”.

Two leading Food Standards Agency directors are to step down and their areas are being merged into one as part of the ongoing restructuring of the FSA.

Supermarkets are likely to put even greater pressure on suppliers in a bid to cut costs in the current economic climate, a former Tesco buyer has warned.

Leading supermarkets have once again come under fire from farming leaders over the volumes of British meat on their shelves.

Farmers are outraged after Eblex’s recently published Beef and Lamb Watch figures for October revealed a further drop in the percentage of British meat on retail shelves.

Morrisons boss Marc Bolland has shocked the retail world by accepting the post of chief executive for high-street icon Marks & Spencer.

People don’t have to ditch meat to save the planet, but they will have to eat less and switch to non-intensive produce, a new report has found.

The report, released by Friends of the Earth (FOE) and Compassion in World Farming (CIWF), models future food production against different diets. It concludes that by limiting consumption to three times a week, people could make a big difference to the planet.

Unite has hailed a Budgens boss a “local hero” for supporting sacked 2 Sisters workers by removing the processor’s products from his shelves.

Sainsbury's is on course to declare robust growth in first-half pre-tax profits this week (11 November). These are expected to be strong, with underlying profits forecast to have risen 16% to £300m.

Marks & Spencer pleasantly surprised the stockmarket with better-than-expected interim results. Pre-tax profit increased a little from £297.8m to £298.3m.

Rumours in the stockmarket suggest that Tesco is poised to buy Dutch retail group Royal Ahold to buttress its expansion plans in the US.

Red meat processor Dunbia has been named ‘Own Brand Supplier of the Year 2009 – Best for Innovation’ by Sainsbury’s at the retailer’s annual supplier conference.

Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee were in London on Monday to celebrate the launch of British Sausage Week and award the multiple retail and London regional winners of the ‘Magical Banger’ competition.

A leading haggis producer is hoping to reinvent the Scottish national dish with the launch of a new microwaveable haggis.

The reputation of Welsh Lamb among consumers in is continuing to grow, beating off competition from across the UK, according to new research released this week.

J Sainsbury's shares rose sharply on speculation that the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) in which the Qatar Royal Family is heavily involved and which owns 26% of Sainsbury's shares as a result of an earlier, failed bid approach worth £10.6bn in 2007 is planning another bid for the supermarket group.

Lincolnshire-based Cherry Valley has secured the business to supply branded frozen whole ducks to Tesco in time for Christmas.

People will have to consider giving up meat in order to halt climate change, an influential authority on global warming has warned.

Lord Stern, the author of the 2006 Stern Review on the cost of tackling global warming, said that “a vegetarian diet is better” and predicted that eating meat could one day become as socially unacceptable as drink-driving.

Eight out of 10 people want country-of-origin labels on meat and poultry mainly so that they can buy British. New Which? research found the labels were also deemed useful for judging quality or simply because consumers were interested in knowing where food comes from.

The industry must take action over meat consumption before the government is forced to impose draconian measures, the leader of WWF-UK has warned.

Speaking at the Sustainable Consumption Institute conference recently, WWF-UK chief executive David Nussbaum called for a consumption-based approach to sustainability.

An ethically-minded Northern Ireland food company has won a contract to supply sausages to Waitrose stores across the UK.

The United States has lost patience with the European Union (EU) over its ban on imports of poultry carcases treated with four types of chemicals – effectively blocking most American chicken from sale.

Welsh pie manufacturer Peter’s Food is targeting the youth market with a new range of classic recipe meaty slices.

Chitty Foods is under investigation by Surrey Police over allegations that it mislabelled meat at its former Guildford abattoir.

Industry sources have suggested that the alleged offences could include falsely labelling meat as organic and labelling imported meat as British.

Tesco has launched a range of low-calorie venison sausages, formulated especially for slimming group Scottish Slimmers.

Unite has accused 2 Sisters of “behaviour more akin to a 19th-century mill owner” after the poultry processor sacked 59 people from its Smethwick site.

Cranswick, which supplies fresh pork and gourmet sausages to UK food retailers announced that while first-half sales rose as expected, its business has been dented by a rise in pig prices to record levels.

Three supermarkets have committed to sourcing more British pork in response to an attack from the pig industry.

Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury’s have all promised to increase the amount of British pork on their shelves following accusations that they were turning to back to cheaper, lower-welfare imported product.

The Belgium arm of one of the largest retail groups in the world has been handed an award for its work to promote Scotch Lamb.

EBLEX has moved quickly to reassure the independent retail trade and small and medium-sized abattoir sector that its Quality Standard scheme for beef and lamb will continue to operate and be supported.

Pig producers have launched a broadside attack on the retail sector, accusing them of squeezing processors “until the pip squeaks”.

A new range of branded bacon is being launched by Denhay Farms in a bid to revitalise the market for streaky bacon. The company said its Spoiltpig streaky bacon, which is produced from pork reared to RSPCA Freedom Food standards, is aiming to remind consumers of the taste of streaky.

Food standards bosses have revealed more than 65% of poultry tested at retail level contains bacteria capable of food poisoning.

A study by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) took more than 3,000 samples of fresh chicken from retail shelves and found campylobacter was present in 65% of the samples. However, salmonella was detected in just 6%.

Asda and Sainsbury’s are under fire from UK beef bosses who have accused them of a lack of support for local production. The National Beef Association (NBA) said the most recent country-of-origin survey produced by the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board’s Meat Services (AHDB MS) team showed only 68% of fresh beef was British on Sainsbury’s shelves, while Asda stocked just 45%.

Livestock organisations have reacted angrily to a WWF report which calls on the government to take action over meat consumption.

WWF says that debate over meat consumption has reached a “deadlock” due to the complex environmental and nutritional issues surrounding meat. The charity wants to kick start a debate on consumption and has released a report written by the Food Ethics Council (FEC) outlining a range of possible government interventions.

Despite the recession, convenience stores are booming on the sales front. Spar's members drove up like-for-like sales 5.2% in the three months to end of July.

Retailers are committing to Scottish food and drink by promising to create thousands of new jobs and extra investment in Scottish produce.

Meat processor Dunbia were the big winners on the night at a charity gala evening organised by the Co-operative Retail Trading Group (CRTG).

Morrisons, KellyBronze and a Warrington butcher’s shop have been celebrating success in the 2009 British Turkey Awards.

Organisers of British Sausage Week have announced that magician and assistant Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee will be the celebrity faces of the event this year.

Debbie & Andrew’s, best known for its sausages, is making its first foray into new markets with the launch of dual-branded Guinness pies.

Tesco and Morrisons have signed up to a campaign to improve country of origin labelling on meat products. The retail giants have agreed to back the Conservative Party’s ‘Honest Food’ campaign and provide more information to consumers about where its meat products come from.

BPEX has confirmed it will be using the Red Tractor logo to promote quality assured pig meat in 2010. The levy body said a revised Red Tractor logo will be used, incorporating all the existing standards of the BPEX Quality Standard Mark covering production, welfare and quality.

The Red Tractor is set to replace quality meat standards logos after receiving state aid approval.

Pig farms throughout Scotland are being visited by Scottish SPCA inspectors as part of a ground-breaking initiative welcomed by the Scottish pig industry.

Welsh lamb and beef are set to get a boost in Wales this autumn, as the True Taste roadshow hits the road.

Wm Morrison is pushing ahead on all fronts at a quicker rate than its rivals. In the first half (26 weeks ended 2 August 2009), the retailer revealed a 45% jump in pre-tax profit to £449m from £309m last year. Sales rose by 5% to £7.5bn - ahead of its rivals and fuelled by growth in its butchers' shops and bakeries. Stripping out £91m in pensions credit and property sales, pre-tax profit climbed 22% to £395m.

Asda has announced it is to offer Wagyu beef – at affordable prices. The beef, which is generally sold at around £150 a kg, will be on offer at a third of the price, the retailer claimed, with an 8oz steak on sale for around £12.

The British Turkey Federation (BTF) is to launch a Christmas campaign in December to inform consumers “on the exceptional value that British Turkey offers at Christmas”.

Dry-cured bacon producer Denhay Farms has launched a coupon campaign with firm Valassis for its spoiltpig range of bacon.

A sausage producer is celebrating after securing a multi-million-pound contract to supply an exclusive top-tier range to Marks & Spencer.

Tesco lost a little of its shine, as its share of the grocery market fell over the 12 weeks to 9 August, due to the intense cut-pricing pressure between the main supermarket groups.

Savoury pastry brand Ginsters of Cornwall has announced it is relaunching its individual 180g boxed pie range for this Autumn.

Retailer Morrisons is to launch a new Farming Programme to improve efficiency and supply chain dialogue alongside the NFU, NFUS and the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC).

Shoppers across the UK are turning their backs on pre-packed supermarket meat and investing in primals direct from farms, a producer has claimed.

The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) has written to the EU Commission calling for an immediate and complete halt on Brazilian beef imports.

IFA president Padriag Walshe wrote to EU Commissioner for Health & Consumer Protection, Androulla Vassiliou, asking her to take action to halt what he described as the “failed Brazilian process” of clearing farms for export to the EU.

National advertisements for halal ready-meals were broadcast in France this week, in what is thought to be a first for mainstream European television.

The recession won’t stop game from getting off to a flying start this season, according to promotional body Game-to-Eat.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has issued a warning that a bullock slaughtered near Sheffield has entered the food chain without being tested for BSE.

The final cheques are in and the cash all counted – the Butchers on Bike charity ride from London to Paris raised a grand total of around £50,000.

The Irish Farmers Association (IFA) has responded to the Brazilian beef industry’s dismissal of attacks on Brazilian beef as protectionism and jealousy.

A leading food manufacturer has come under fire over allegations it is sourcing beef from a company allegedly involved in the illegal deforestation of the Amazon.

Butchers, supermarkets and sausage manufacturers are being urged to pull their best pork sausages out of the hat in the hunt for the country's most “magical” banger.

The BPEX competition marks the return of British Sausage Week, which will take place from from 2-8 November 2009.

BBC Three’s Kill It, Cook It, Eat It is to return for another series, this time exploring the ethics of meat consumption.

A cancer charity has urged parents to stop putting ham and other processed meat in their children’s packed lunches.

The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has warned that if children are fed sandwich fillers such as ham and salami, they could develop a taste for processed meats, which would “increase their risk of developing cancer later in life”.

A leading pie manufacturer played host to Sainsbury’s chief executive Justin King in recognition of its charity work.

A second Brazilian beef exporter has agreed to stop sourcing cattle from farms involved in the destruction of the Amazon rainforest.

The Brazilian beef industry has accused UK and Irish farming associations of resorting to “misinformation and bullying” to “impose themselves on the global market".

The Brazilian Embassy has denied claims that eating Brazilian meat will fuel the destruction of the Amazon rainforest.

Animal charity the RSPCA is looking for consumers to vote for the most animal-friendly supermarket as part of the Good Business Awards.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has announced the publication of a guide to help retailers comply with food hygiene legislation.

The National Beef Association (NBA) has warned that the “most dominant” factor shaping the UK slaughter cattle market is short supplies.

The UK needs to radically rethink the way in which food is produced and processed if we are to enjoy food security in the future, Hilary Benn said today.

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs secretary was talking at the launch of the country’s first food security assessment, which analyses the current state of the UK’s food supply and highlights the key challenges to a sustainable future.

Stonleigh Park is to host a new technical business event, designed for producers, processors and retailers in the red meat supply chain.

The Competition Commission (CC) is to press ahead with plans to prevent multiple retailers from establishing a monopoly in local markets.

Leading haggis producer Macsween has pointed out it was Scotland's greatest writer, not England's, who wrote in praise of the sheep innards delicacy, after recent research uncovered the fact that the haggis might be an English invention.

The concept of food miles can have little benefit on the environment and local production is not the answer to global warming, a Defra study has claimed.

Tesco has come under attack from vegetarians for sending waste meat to be converted into renewable energy for British homes.

Farming leaders have called on the government to act in full on the Competition Commission’s (CC) recommendation for a supermarket ombudsman.

The NFU said that the new Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP), published by the CC yesterday (4 August), will only work if it has the backing of an ombudsman.

The Organic Trade Board (OTB) is fighting back against the bad press that organics faced last week, claiming that growth in the sector is still possible.

The Competition Commission (CC) has called on the government to establish an ombudsman to oversee disputes between retailers and their suppliers.

The CC has been trying to convince retailers to sign up to the arbitration scheme voluntarily, but the majority have failed to comply. The CC does not have the power to establish an ombudsman itself, so it has made a formal recommendation to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) that it should establish one.

The RSPCA has launched a "BBQ Source" campaign after research revealed that shoppers are less likely to buy welfare-friendly produce for the barbecue.

Crispy pastry-topped turkey pies, stuffed turkey olives and smoked turkey drumsticks are among the new products shortlisted for the British Turkey Awards 2009.

Two biodynamic farmers have waded into the organic argument, claiming that organic standards “don’t go far enough”.

Defra has invited turkey producers, vets, consumers and retailers to respond to a consultation on how EU legislation regarding the control of salmonella in turkey flocks should be introduced to the UK.

Butchers, meat suppliers and chefs are reporting an increasing demand for the range of economy speciality steaks developed by EBLEX.

Organic meat has no nutritional benefits over conventional meat, according to a report by the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

The study was led by a team of researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who reviewed all papers published over the past 50 years relating to the nutrient content and health differences between organic and conventional food.

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has revealed the final shortlist for its annual Community Partnership Awards.

The government has announced it will spend over £100m redeveloping the laboratory blamed for the 2007 foot and mouth outbreak.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills decided to invest in the Institute for Animal Health (IAH) at Pirbright, Surrey, following "extensive reviews of the UK’s needs for animal health research".

A growing farming movement claims to produce better meat by bringing together the power of the moon and planets.

A pie-maker in South Lanarkshire has been shortlisted for a British food competition with his Honeyed Venison Pie.

Lamb sales are on the increase as recession-hit consumers ditch restaurants and ready meals for home-cooked fare.

Results based on the shopping habits of 1.4m Tesco Clubcard customers shows that sales of fresh lamb have gone up 15% in volume during the last 12 months.

Consumers need more information about the impact of water-intensive foods such as meat, says a new report.

The report, produced by the Food Ethics Council (FEC) for Sustain to identify the best way to ‘score’ products on water issues, warned that “water scarcity will be one of the most pressing environmental, social and economic challenges of the coming decades”.

Scottish farming leaders have welcomed the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) Committee’s vision for securing future food security.

Asda’s Extra Special steak tasting challenge came to a head this weekend, with a final cook-off at the Yorkshire Show.

The Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Efra) Committee has published a report on UK food security, concluding that the UK has a “moral obligation” to contribute to global food production.

A leading Halal meat supplier has hit out at the appointment of Lord Rooker to the chair of the Food Standards Agency (FSA) as “jobs for the boys”, and called for Muslim representation within quangos.

Naved Syed, MD of Janan Meats, said he was encouraged to apply for the role of chairman of the FSA and has been left disappointed by the Rooker appointment.

Extremist groups are using climate change as a “stick to beat the livestock industry”, the Welsh meat promotion board has warned.

Rees Roberts, chairman of Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales, has accused anti-meat organisations of “hijacking” the climate change agenda for their own purposes and making false claims about the impact of livestock production on the environment.

Supermarket chain Budgens has announced it will now stock Debbie & Andrew’s sausages in up to 193 of its stores nationwide.

A non-pathogenic strain of the Ebola virus has been discovered in pigs in the Philippines.

Researchers found pigs infected with the Ebola-Reston (REBOV) virus while testing to find a cause for the severe respiratory infections that have plagued the country's swine herds.

Meat bosses have warned against over-simplistic labelling when it comes to environmental messages on meat products.

Cash-strapped consumers are increasingly turning to pork, while health has slipped down the agenda in the face of the economic downturn.

Around 40-50 people protested outside a Tesco annual general meeting in Glasgow, where a motion to demand better working conditions for agency meat workers was defeated.

Haggis producer Macsween of Edinburgh has announced it has secured a £400,000 grant from the Scottish Government as part of Scotland’s Rural Development Programme.

A roundup of financial news from industry players

Supermarket chain Tesco has said that it is seeing shoppers returning to premium and ethical food ranges according to latest sales data.

Sausage duo Debbie & Andrew have said they are looking to seize an opportunity in the pre-cooked sausage market with the launch of ’15 Perfect Little Pork Sausages’.

Farming leaders are calling on the supermarkets to sign up to an independent ombudsman “while they still have the chance”. Peter Kendall, president of the National Farmers’ Union, spoke out at the start of the last ever Royal Show today, and as the opportunity for supermarkets to give formal undertakings to the Competition Commission draws to a close.

The Co-operative was celebrating after taking the title of SuperMeat & Fish Retailer of the Year as the awards celebrated a decade of rewarding retail success.

The successful Fridge Raiders brand is aiming for further domination in the meat snacks market with the launch of a new brand extension - a chicken-on-a-stick.

Meat eaters have a higher risk blood, bladder and stomach cancers, but not bowel cancer, a major new study has found.

The study, published in the British Journal of Cancer, found that meat-eaters had a significantly higher risk of stomach cancer than those who do not eat meat, confirming earlier studies.

Are you the meat industry's answer to Jenson Button? The race is on for the inaugural BDCI Karting competition, in a bid to boost funds for the industry’s leading charity.

Lamb producers must be paid a stable and sustainable price to secure the long-term future of the sector, according to farming leaders.

A new scheme to restore confidence in pig farming in Scotland has been launched by Asda, Vion Food Group and Scottish Pig Producers.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has has called on retailers to introduce front-of-pack labelling on meat products advising shoppers to eat only three portions a week.

The Soil Association has welcomed a report from the University of Reading which said that organic farming is perhaps "mainstream agriculture in waiting.”

A roundup of financial news from industry players

Animal rights campaigners have erected poster with the slogan “meat kills” outside the hospital which treated the only person to die of swine flu in the UK.

A Northern Ireland competition winner visited Liverpool recently to see her recipe cooked up by food writer Greg Wallace.

The Co-operative Group has announced plans to open a third convenience food store in Manchester, creating 40 jobs

A steak tasting challenge is aiming to reveal the best of Scottish beef at the Royal Highland show this week. Asda’s Extra Special steak tasting challenge will see more than 30 beef suppliers competing for the top title at the show.

With the Wimbledon Championships upon us, supermarket Waitrose has launched a pork and strawberry sausage at selected stores nationwide from today (22 June).

BPEX has launched a campaign to encourage processors and retailers to make country-of-origin labelling clearer on pork products.

Less than a third of Britons believe that eating processed meat will increase the risk of bowel cancer, a YouGov survey has revealed.

The survey of 2,249 people, which was commissioned by the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), revealed that only 32% of Britons think that eating meats such as bacon and ham will increase their risk of cancer.

A Yorkshire-based catering butcher is celebrating landing a new deal to supply a major supermarket chain. Yorkshire Dales Meat will supply Asda with its handmade premium beef burgers. The deal builds on the companies previous retailer success, having already signed a deal with Morrisons for its burgers and sausages.

The University of Bristol is offering the meat industry the chance to pick up new skills at a distance, launching a new distance learning version of its popular MSc Meat Science course.

Young farmers are being urged to join a new scheme to supply lamb to Sainsbury’s in a joint initiative between the supermarket, Dunbia and farming group Wales YFC.

Four days and 187 hard miles later, the Butchers on Bikes team rolled into Paris in triumph.

The weeks of training, or minutes in some cases, paid off as all 31 cyclists crossed the finish line under the Eiffel Tower. Hills, rain and French pedestrians proved no obstacle to the intrepid team, although the accomodation nearly finished some of them off.

Scottish farmers have started to cross Aberdeen Angus cattle with Japanese Wagyu cattle in the hope of creating some of the world’s most expensive beef.

ABP is set to install clipping technology at its Perth abattoir so farmers won’t have to remove faecal contamination from cattle hides.

New research suggests that eating curry several times a week could help prevent Alzheimer's.

With the occasional grumble and a few ominious creaks, the Butchers on Bikes team’s epic attempt to reach Paris got underway this morning.

Setting off from Smithfield Market in London at 8am this morning, the team made it as far as Cock Lane, 200 yards away, before stopping for a rest.

International credit rating agency, Moody's, has altered its outlook on Tesco’s credit rating over fears about the retailer's high level of debt.

Leading UK business-to-business publisher William Reed Business Media has reinforced its commitment to online publishing with the acquisition of Decision News Media, an internet publishing company dedicated to reporting breaking news for the global B2B industries

British boar farmer Simon Gaskell has won the Cut Above Meat Quality Award for his Wild Boar Salami.

UK retailers are fuelling the destruction of the Amazon rainforest by sourcing beef from suppliers linked to illegal deforestation, Greenpeace has claimed.

Retailer Morrisons' "clear and unambiguous" country of origin labelling along with its support for British producers has been praised by farming minister Jane Kennedy.

Northern Foods has announced plans to shut its ready meals plant in Hull, putting 349 jobs at risk. The company said its operation was no longer viable following the loss of a ready meals contract with Morrisons.

For the armchair cyclists among the industry, those who really would have joined the Butchers on Bikes’ audacious trek from London to Paris if only their chain hadn’t fallen off their bike – hope is at hand.

The BoB team has launched a special Butchers on Bikes blog to allow the entire industry to keep up to date with the teams activities, both in the run-up, and during the ride itself.

Structural changes will be under discussion when the BDCI holds its Annual General Meeting next month. The charity will also consider a change from being an unincorporated entity into a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.

An animal rights group has re-erected a controversial billboard proclaiming that “feeding kids meat is child abuse.”

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has unveiled the inflammatory poster in Coventry, the home of Leanne Salt - a the 30-stone woman dubbed “Britain’s fattest mother”, who has admitted feeding her kids nuggets and burgers since they were six months old.

Strong meat exports have given a welcome boost to the UK meat industry, but producers will have to fight to remain competitive in the future, experts have warned.

Supermarket giant Asda is planning to use skin packaging for all of its meat joints in a bid to improve its environmental performance.

A government advisor has slammed the meat industry for its lack of action over climate change, warning that it is “miles behind” other food sectors.

The media has gone "beserk" over the so-called swine flu outbreak, according to the UK marketing director for Danish Bacon.

A £4m campaign to promote EBLEX’s Quality Standard Mark (QSM) has been launched to replace the long-running Beefy and Lamby characters. Featuring the strapline ‘Tough Standards. Tender Results’ the campaign gets under way on Monday, 18 May, to promote beef and lamb at the start of the barbecue season.

Dundee-based processor of wild Scottish venison, Highland Game, has launched its venison burger through 316 Morrisons stores nationwide.

Supermarket chain Sainsbury's has announced a strong sales and profit performance for the past year, with significant growth potential for the future.

Asda has added a taste of rural Fermanagh to 20 of its UK stores as part of its Ethnic Ireland promotion.

Fundraising is under way for the Butchers on Bikes epic ride, with Aldi currently leading the field with a whopping £500 donation.

The charity bike ride will see a team of riders from across all areas of the meat industry make the trek from Smithfield Market in London to Rungis Market in Paris, totalling more than 186 miles.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has predicted that global import demand for meat will fall for the first time in over a decade this year.

The Black Farmer is hoping for success with the launch of ‘The Great White Hope’ chicken, the brand’s first free-range offering.

City rumours are once again circulating over a potential takeover bid for Sainsbury’s. Dealers are speculating that the Qatar Investment Authority, the investment vehicle of the Qatar Royal Family, is about to increase its share stake in Sainsbury from 27.3% to 29.9%.

The Competition Commission has published a public consultation on the proposal for a supermarket ombudsman to police the new Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCP).

ASDA’s subsidised semen initiative is already yielding results, with the first calves born successfully at Tom and Mike Powley’s farm in Yorkshire earlier this month.

Sausage firm Debbie & Andrew’s has increased its multiple presence after signing a deal with Waitrose to sell its Yorkshire brand sausages in the area.

Chairman of Assured Foods Standards (AFS), Colin Smith, will stand down this year after serving the full fixed six-year term of office.

American scientists have warned consumers to turn the barbecue down this summer, with new research suggesting that consumption of burnt and charred meat might increase the risk of pancreatic cancer.

Consumers believe that frozen food could offer better value in the current economic downturn, according to the latest research from the Food and Drink Federation’s (FDF) Frozen Food Group.

A leading foodservice supplier is hoping for success in the retail arena with the launch of a new sausage offer. Roberts of Port Dinorwic, a recipe dish manufacturer, has launched its renowned own-brand Traditional Pork Sausage.

A Scottish pie firm is aiming to get offal back on the nation’s tables with the launch of its brand new Lamb Kidneys Tubigo Pie. The pie, from Simple Simon of Biggar, is the second in its Luxury Larder range, alongside its Perfect Beef Wellington.

Bernard Matthews Farms is hoping to cash in on the credit crunch with a new addition to its top-selling family favourite. The company said the tough economic conditions were leading to a resurgence in frozen food and, in particular, frozen breaded poultry.

MTJ is now posting daily news and views on Twitter, the micro-blogging service taking the internet by storm.

Demand for locally produced meat is set to continue, with the latest research revealing that the UK market for regional and local food has increased by £1.3bn since 2003.

The food industry’s relationship with the media will come under scrutiny at the latest meeting of the Food Club International.

Marks & Spencer, which is gearing up to beat the big supermarket groups on the food price front, is moving towards another shareholder revolt over the extent of the power wielded by boss Stuart Rose

J Sainsbury has announced its best growth in sales in over 10 years. Total sales increased by 3.4% in the post–Christmas quarter, while like-for-like sales improved by 7% after adjusting for fuel and VAT

The Indian curry, Britain’s long-standing favourite ethnic food, has been knocked off the top spot by Chinese cuisine, according to a new report from Mintel.

A Liverpool butcher has failed in his bid to prove he was cheated out of more than £2 million by Somerfield.

Discount retailing giant Aldi is trialling a range of ready meals, using traditional cuts of meat from food supplier Roberts of Port Dinorwic.

Supermarket shelves are giving way to cheap imports of Irish beef, the National Beef Association (NBA) has claimed.

A nutritionist has cast doubt over the findings of a study that linked the consumption of fresh and processed red meat to increased risk of blindness.

The Pig Meat Task Force met for the first time yesterday to discuss the biggest challenges facing the supply chain.

Consumers still want to "buy green" despite the current economic climate, according to new research from the Carbon Trust.

Butchers, chefs, farms and mutton enthusiasts gathered at Lucknam Park Hotel in Chippenham for the last of this season's Mutton Renaissance Club open events.

British meat is disappearing from supermarket shelves under Labour rule, an opposition party has claimed.

Food experts from across Europe will meet in Prague tomorrow (12 March) for a two-day debate on the future of food labelling.

Supermarket giant Tesco has announced plans to turn all of its waste meat products into energy with food recycling service PDM Group.

The Co-operative claimed it is delivering on its commitment to support British pig farmers by converting all its own-brand pre-packed ham to 100% British pork from today (Monday 9 March).

Waitrose is hoping to retain recession poor consumers with the launch of an own brand label promising quality and value for money.

Tesco has won its appeal against the introduction of a "competition test" to limit retail expansion, but the Competition Commission (CC) has vowed to continue pursuing the proposal.

The Co-op has confirmed it is shutting down Somerfield's head office in Bristol, putting 750 jobs at risk, as it seals the billion-pound deal to purchase the chain

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Compassion in World Farming have announced the winner of the Chicken Out! campaign's design-a-label competition.

EBLEX is to ditch its Beefy and Lamby characters for its next consumer advertising campaign.

The Competition Commission has published proposals to strengthen and extend the Groceries Supply Code of Practice (GSCOP).

Delegates at the 12th annual Langford Food Industry Conference will discuss the implications of global trends on meat production in the UK, it has been announced.

Booths is claiming to be the first UK food retailer to ensure 100% of its Lakeland Herdwick lamb is Freedom Food-accredited from this season.

The national body for Welsh meat promotion has announced it is aiming to get Welsh Lamb sold on German supermarket shelves.

Retailers and processors must become more innovative with forequarter cuts to balance out higher cattle prices, says the National Beef Association.

Meat manufacturers are likely to face even more pressure to reduce packaging following the publication of a damning report on supermarket packaging.

Bacon importers and UK processors were among guests at the glittering Provision Trade Federation (PTF) dinner in London last night.

Food industry executives and European decision-makers met in Brussels last night for a debate on EU food labelling proposals.

Jamie Oliver's pig programme has already had a big impact on spending habits, according to the latest figures from TNS Worldpanel.

Trust in the power of the consumer, not government, to see us through the economic crisis was the key message from Tesco boss Sir Terry Leahy.

Higher welfare chickens sales have soared in the past year despite desperate economic conditions, claimed Compassion in World Farming (CIWF) in a new commissioned survey.

Asda has followed the lead of Morrisons and Tesco, announcing that it will create 7,000 new jobs this year.

Legendary singer songwriter Bob Dylan has given permission for his iconic music to be used in a UK supermarket commercial, it was announced today.

Sainsbury's is hoping to encourage consumers to rediscover some old classics on its meat counters.

Food inflation, which saw meat and fish prices soar, is easing, latest research from Verdict has claimed.

Scottish farming leaders have met with Tesco commercial director Richard Brasher to tackle some of the key issues affecting the relationship between the retailer and its suppliers.

Tesco has infuriated the Irish pig industry by demanding that its suppliers pay compensation for profits lost during the dioxin recall.

Tesco has revealed the worst Christmas trading growth for over 10 years, but remains confident, promising new jobs and further price cuts.

Justin King, chief executive, Sainsbury's, has become president of IGD. Charles Wilson, chief executive, Booker Group has become vice-president.

Consumers are more likely to buy retailers' own-label pre-packed ham if it carries the Quality Standard Mark (QSM) according to a new report.

Scotland's water and waste authority has unveiled plans to turn food waste into energy and compost.

Asda has announced that it will raise the age limit of cattle for use in its standard beef range from 30 to 36 months.

Slaughterhouses are now required to ask for specific information about the calves they receive for slaughter.

Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has called on supermarkets and food companies to introduce country- of-origin labelling so shoppers can choose to buy British meat.

Sales of British pork have soared during the festive season, according to figures from Waitrose.