As Scotland slowly eases its lockdown restrictions, Scotland’s beef and lamb producers are looking to move to a heathier footing as we reset, recover and restart from the impacts of Covid-19.

The Union has recognised that resetting and restarting as we emerge from the crisis will provide significant opportunities for Scottish farmers, crofters and growers.  All NFU Scotland’s commodity committees and working groups – combinable crops, livestock, milk, pigs, poultry and specialist crops – have identified key steps and actions needed.

For those producing beef and lamb, the priorities are the following:

• Work with other farming unions and levy bodies on market impact.
• Written to all major retailers on need to support domestic production and express disappointment at imports.
• Demand price transparency in the red meat sector
• Support campaigns to increase demand for premium cuts such as roasting joints and steaks to address carcase balance problems.
• Renewed focus and activity on enhanced country of origin labelling (COOL) on processed beef and lamb products.
• Work with Quality Meat Scotland, Scotland Food & Drink and the Scottish Council for Development and Industry to develop export market opportunities
  

Livestock committee chairman, Jimmy Ireland, who keeps beef cattle and sheep at Darvel in Ayrshire said the opportunity and need was there to move the industry to a much healthier footing than pre-2020.

Mr Ireland said: “At the outset, the market disruption caused by Covid-19 had a clear impact on the beef market, largely due to the loss of sale of steaks and high value cuts that have traditionally gone to the hospitality sector.

“NFUS Livestock committee called for immediate promotion on beef in response to the market situation. The QMS ‘Make it’ campaign boosted the awareness the Scotch beef and lamb PGI at the right time.  As people have experienced lockdown, they have been brushing up on home cooking skills and learning more first-hand about the quality and versatility of our fantastic beef and lamb.

“A long-running priority for us has been the need to enhance rules around country of origin labelling.  We are keen to see more action from government supporting us in this, helping to ensure that those consumers who want to buy local can do so more easily.

“Early on in the lockdown period, we wrote to all major retailers regarding the discovery of foreign beef on sale on supermarket shelves.  We highlighted the need for them to be supporting the Scottish industry at this time by retailing locally produced beef and lamb which is being produced to some of the highest welfare standards in the world.

“While some retailers have consistently supported Scotch beef and lamb, we remain very disappointed that some retailers are not stocking sufficient volumes of Scotch and we will continue to push them on provenance commitments.”  

Notes to Editors

• NFU Scotland sees the role of all farmers and crofters as central to Scotland’s Covid-19 recovery process given the range of economic, environmental and social benefits they can deliver.  NFUS believes Scottish agriculture should:
  • produce the high-quality food and drink that its customers wants
  • embrace change and seek new market opportunities.
  • lead in the delivery of climate ambitions and a flourishing environment.
  • drive sustainable rural development, helping rural communities thrive and prosper.
  • contribute to key objectives on animal health and welfare and promote human health and well-being.
• NFU Scotland has initiated reset, restart and recovery plans for different sectors of Scottish agriculture. The sectors covered are livestock, milk, pigs, poultry, specialist crops and combinable crops.   
• A short video of Livestock Committee Chair Jimmy Ireland discussing the Union’s priorities is available to watch on the Union’s Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/pg/nfuscotland/videos/
  

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Contact Bob Carruth on 0131 472 4006