Local farmers fear Scotch brand is lost in red meat industry
Levy payers have been given the chance to hear how Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) plans to deliver its five-year strategy and make the country the choice for premium red meat.
Over a dozen workshops have taken place across the country, with the first levy increase in more than a decade on the cards for QMS to support and develop the industry.
The Aberdeenshire event held at Thainstone Centre attracted one of the largest attendances and saw farmers highlight key issues within the region.
One farmer told QMS chief executive Sarah Millar and chair Kate Rowell that the levy board could throw as much money towards advertising as it liked but argued that the Scottish premium for red meat was almost non existent.
He said: “The only thing that holds the red meat industry back is the cheap food policy. How can we develop our businesses, breeds and strategies if we are held to the last penny?
“We have lost the premium for prime cattle up here and a lot of producers are sending their animals to the likes of Darlington to be sold for a better price. There are no constraints to weight across the border so they are getting more for their carcase.
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