QMS levy is not a tax for which you get nothing

and overseas, in order to drive sales of Scottish red meat’.

While she doesn’t quantify what 75% equates to I can confidently say that it will be minute compared to the spend of other FMCG brands.

Speaking with one of my members, Iain Brown, director at Campbells Prime Meats, he told me of the work that QMS are doing in the foodservice sector.

Many of you may be thinking that surely chefs should know about where the meat they are buying, cooking, and selling comes from. And yes, to a certain extent, that is true. However, on a bigger level, if they are truly to represent your skill as farmers and the processes along the supply chain in front of the consumer they need to re-enforce their understanding of the ‘brand values’ of Scotch.

I also spoke with Tom Gibson, director of business development at Quality Meat Scotland who told me: “We [QMS] are a cornerstone for communication and support within the food service industry. By providing crucial market data and facilitating business development opportunities for wholesalers, we promote growth and innovation.”

Clearly the work QMS have done with Campbells Prime Meats shows their support in action.

This level of engagement has worked so well with Campbells that they have just completed a contract supplying Scotch Beef and

Scotch Lamb to Murrayfield during the 6 Nations. With the support of their key suppliers 3500 QMS Farm Assured Scotch Lamb Rumps were used for the French game and 4500 QMS Farm Assured Scotch Beef Sirloin Eye portions were used at the game with England.

I have also been impressed with the quality of the QMS output. The refreshed Scotch Beef Club and its newsletters will provide confidence to all points of sales for the Scotch red meat brands whichever market they are supplying.

The market data is among the best I have seen, and I urge every livestock farmer along with the any business selling Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb be they based in Scotland, the rest of the UK or in overseas markets to subscribe to this information.

Campbells Prime Meats have also been working, along with QMS, with a local High school where pupils have been challenged using Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb, or Scottish Pork to produce a burger that will be entered in a competition.

But I’ll leave the last word to Iain Brown: “QMS has a very strong foodservice connection where up to date information is sent weekly from marketing campaigns to market pricing.”

So please, when you look at your levy bill in April, try not to think of this a tax for which you get nothing but instead to see it as a benefit for which you receive huge market support and a very low price.