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| US maintains ban on Scottish haggis | US maintains ban on Scottish haggis |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| By Stephen Mulvey BBC News | By Stephen Mulvey BBC News |
| Scots Americans were rejoicing last night as news circulated that the US government was planning to lift a 21-year ban on Scottish haggis. Just one problemÂ… it may not happen. | Scots Americans were rejoicing last night as news circulated that the US government was planning to lift a 21-year ban on Scottish haggis. Just one problemÂ… it may not happen. |
| "Yes, haggis, I was briefed on haggis," said George W Bush before the G8 summit at Gleneagles in 2005. | "Yes, haggis, I was briefed on haggis," said George W Bush before the G8 summit at Gleneagles in 2005. |
| Was he tempted to try it, asked the interviewer from the Times? No, he wasn't. | Was he tempted to try it, asked the interviewer from the Times? No, he wasn't. |
| He went on: "Generally, on your birthday, my mother used to say: 'What do you want to eat?' and I don't ever remember saying: 'Haggis, mom.'" | He went on: "Generally, on your birthday, my mother used to say: 'What do you want to eat?' and I don't ever remember saying: 'Haggis, mom.'" |
| ADDRESS TO A HAGGIS Ye Pow'rs wha mak mankind your care, And dish them out their bill o' fare, Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware That jaups in luggies; But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer, Gie her a haggis! Final verse Robert Burns | ADDRESS TO A HAGGIS Ye Pow'rs wha mak mankind your care, And dish them out their bill o' fare, Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware That jaups in luggies; But, if ye wish her gratefu' prayer, Gie her a haggis! Final verse Robert Burns |
| Mr Bush reflects the uneasy attitude many people have towards the Scottish national dish. | Mr Bush reflects the uneasy attitude many people have towards the Scottish national dish. |
| Nonetheless, at Burns suppers around the world last night, large numbers of people will have tucked in, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, after hailing the bulging delicacy with Robert Burns' eight-verse Address to a Haggis. | Nonetheless, at Burns suppers around the world last night, large numbers of people will have tucked in, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, after hailing the bulging delicacy with Robert Burns' eight-verse Address to a Haggis. |
| For many of the six million Scots in America, who last night enjoyed the puff of "warm-reeking, rich" steam as the knife went in, the ultimate in patriotism is a haggis from Scotland itself. | For many of the six million Scots in America, who last night enjoyed the puff of "warm-reeking, rich" steam as the knife went in, the ultimate in patriotism is a haggis from Scotland itself. |
| 'Incorrect' reports | 'Incorrect' reports |
| So, reports that the US is about to lift a ban on British beef and lamb - imposed in 1989 at the height of the BSE outbreak - were greeted with a chorus of delight (and some irony) on Twitter. | So, reports that the US is about to lift a ban on British beef and lamb - imposed in 1989 at the height of the BSE outbreak - were greeted with a chorus of delight (and some irony) on Twitter. |
| HAGGIS TWEETS Och Aye! US planning to relax haggis ban... The 'great chieftain o' the puddin' will soon be back!A Tennessee response to the lifted haggis ban "No More Bootleg Sheep Guts!"ShipCapt: Thank GOD the wait is over! Haggis Allowed In The U.S. After 21-Year BanTo celebrate US lifts ban on haggis.Thats a good thing? | HAGGIS TWEETS Och Aye! US planning to relax haggis ban... The 'great chieftain o' the puddin' will soon be back!A Tennessee response to the lifted haggis ban "No More Bootleg Sheep Guts!"ShipCapt: Thank GOD the wait is over! Haggis Allowed In The U.S. After 21-Year BanTo celebrate US lifts ban on haggis.Thats a good thing? |
| Renowned haggis producers MacSween's of Edinburgh were also sizing up the US market, and reckoning it to be "enormous". | Renowned haggis producers MacSween's of Edinburgh were also sizing up the US market, and reckoning it to be "enormous". |
| But just as Burns Night was getting under way in the US, and reaching its climax in the UK, an e-mail came through from the US Department of Agriculture, quashing the good news. | But just as Burns Night was getting under way in the US, and reaching its climax in the UK, an e-mail came through from the US Department of Agriculture, quashing the good news. |
| "Recently, several news articles have incorrectly stated that the US will be relaxing or lifting its ban on Scottish haggis," a spokeswoman wrote. | "Recently, several news articles have incorrectly stated that the US will be relaxing or lifting its ban on Scottish haggis," a spokeswoman wrote. |
| A review of the ban on beef and lamb products was under way, she said, but there was no specific time frame for its completion. | A review of the ban on beef and lamb products was under way, she said, but there was no specific time frame for its completion. |
| HAGGIS HEADLINES Scots Jump for Joy as US Plans to Lift Haggis Ban (Sphere)Haggis, a Scottish staple that's been banned here, may soon reappear on American tables (New York Daily News)U.S. to Relax Its Haggis Ban: Lamb's Lungs All Around! (The Village Voice) | HAGGIS HEADLINES Scots Jump for Joy as US Plans to Lift Haggis Ban (Sphere)Haggis, a Scottish staple that's been banned here, may soon reappear on American tables (New York Daily News)U.S. to Relax Its Haggis Ban: Lamb's Lungs All Around! (The Village Voice) |
| Dr Christopher Robinson of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service explained that a proposal to allow imports of "ruminant products" from the UK may be put out for public consultation some time this year. | Dr Christopher Robinson of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service explained that a proposal to allow imports of "ruminant products" from the UK may be put out for public consultation some time this year. |
| Nothing more definite than that. | Nothing more definite than that. |
| But there appears to be another problem for the most traditional haggis producers - since 1971 the US has banned food made with sheep's lung. | But there appears to be another problem for the most traditional haggis producers - since 1971 the US has banned food made with sheep's lung. |
| The classic recipe calls for the heart, liver and lung of the sheep to be chopped up and combined with pinhead (not rolled) oats, onions, suet, spices and seasoning, then stuffed in a sheep's stomach. | The classic recipe calls for the heart, liver and lung of the sheep to be chopped up and combined with pinhead (not rolled) oats, onions, suet, spices and seasoning, then stuffed in a sheep's stomach. |
| Offal culture | Offal culture |
| Haggis producer Fraser MacGregor of Cockburn's in Dingwall says, "If it hasn't got lamb's lung, it isn't haggis." It makes up 10 to 15% of the entire recipe, he says. | Haggis producer Fraser MacGregor of Cockburn's in Dingwall says, "If it hasn't got lamb's lung, it isn't haggis." It makes up 10 to 15% of the entire recipe, he says. |
| So to open the path for Transatlantic trade in true haggis, two rules will have to be changed, and as far as the BBC has been able to determine, only one is currently even being reviewed. | So to open the path for Transatlantic trade in true haggis, two rules will have to be changed, and as far as the BBC has been able to determine, only one is currently even being reviewed. |
| Even supposing the US were to lift all haggis trade barriers, it's not clear how big a hit the dish would be with US consumers. | Even supposing the US were to lift all haggis trade barriers, it's not clear how big a hit the dish would be with US consumers. |
| Haggis was once stuffed in a sheep's stomach, but this is now uncommon | Haggis was once stuffed in a sheep's stomach, but this is now uncommon |
| "They don't have the same culture of eating offal," points out Jo MacSween. | "They don't have the same culture of eating offal," points out Jo MacSween. |
| "In Europe there is respect for the whole animal and nothing should be wasted, in America it's more prime cuts, fillet and sirloin." | "In Europe there is respect for the whole animal and nothing should be wasted, in America it's more prime cuts, fillet and sirloin." |
| When Americans try it, she says, they invariably love it and cannot understand their government's import ban. | |
| The problem, perhaps, is getting them to try it in the first place - as with George Bush | The problem, perhaps, is getting them to try it in the first place - as with George Bush |
| Lesley MacLennan Denninger, chief of the New York Caledonian Club, says her club would love to ship over a real Scottish haggis over for Burns Night. | Lesley MacLennan Denninger, chief of the New York Caledonian Club, says her club would love to ship over a real Scottish haggis over for Burns Night. |
| She'd also like it to be widely available in the US, to help American producers - who sometimes take sirloin beef as their main ingredient - raise their game. | |
| "I think it might improve some of the American haggis if they could find out what it tasted like," she said. | "I think it might improve some of the American haggis if they could find out what it tasted like," she said. |
| "I have had some that tasted OK, even some out of a can. | "I have had some that tasted OK, even some out of a can. |
| "I don't want to knock American haggis, but generally it's not the same, it tastes more like liver pate." | "I don't want to knock American haggis, but generally it's not the same, it tastes more like liver pate." |
| Add your comments on this story, using the form below. | Add your comments on this story, using the form below. |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |