THE Scottish Government has said there is "huge potential" for haggis in the US market, where the dish is currently banned under US Department of Agriculture regulations.
It comes as a campaign to lift the ban has started, led by one of Scotland's top butchers, Simon Howie, who's butcher firm is Scotland's best-selling haggis brand, with annual profits of around £7 million.
He has launched a petition to "make haggis legal again", saying that at the Word Cup, there is "no haggis, no party".
Haggis has been banned in the USA since 1971 under federal food regulations relating to the sale of livestock lungs in food, a crucial ingredient to the Scottish dish alongside heart, liver, oatmeal and suet.
Weighing in on the matter, the Scottish Government's minister for employment, Tom Arthur, told The National that while the issue of trade is a reserved matter, "the Scottish Government is always willing to support Scottish business to trade internationally.
“Scotland has several excellent haggis producers and given the historical ties between our countries, there is huge potential in the USA market.
"I hope that the men’s World Cup can be a window to what Scotland has to offer.”
Alongside the petition, Howie has commissioned a campaign film featuring Scottish broadcaster and journalist Gordon Smart, as well as TikTok content creator Mark Thorburn.
Announcing the campaign, Howie said: “Scotland football fans are widely recognised as the best in the world and they are about to make the trip of a lifetime, but they’ll be doing it without access to their national dish.
"With such warmth and long-standing affinity between Americans and Scots we’re appealing to the USA to embrace this delicious delicacy and Make Haggis Legal Again.”
In support of the campaign, Howie is distributing special edition No Haggis No Party flags and scarves to Tartan Army supporters ahead of their journey, sending their message from the stands.
Gordon Smart added that "for Scotland fans, summer 2026 is going to be a trip we’ll never forget. We’ll have the flags, the songs and the scarves and if this petition has anything to do with it, we’ll have the haggis too.
“Simon Howie is fighting for every Scot and honorary Scot out there, so let’s get behind the campaign and make history on and off the pitch. Because after all, if there’s no haggis, there’s no party.”
