Rowell takes helm at QMS
Fifth generation Borders tenant farmer Kate Rowell has been appointed by Scottish ministers as the new chair of Quality Meat Scotland (QMS).
Mrs Rowell, who has been a member of the QMS board since April 2015, will take over the role on 1 October when current chair Jim Mclaren steps down after almost eight years at the helm.
Rowell runs the 750 hectare Hundleshope farm on the Haystoun Estate near Peebles – where the family have been tenants for 150 years – along with her husband Ed and their four children
A qualified vet, Rowell worked in a mixed practice in the north of England for eight years before she returned home to take over the reins of the family hill unit. The Rowells run 75 suckler cows and around 800 sheep on the farm which was previously a monitor farm, part of the successful QMS programme.
She is also actively involved in supporting the work of the Royal Highland Education Trust which aims to encourage children to have a better understanding of farming and where their food comes from.
During the coming weeks she will work alongside Mclaren to ensure a smooth handover and transition.
“I feel privileged to have this opportunity to play such a pivotal role in the Scottish red meat industry,” she said.
“I am very much looking forward to getting out and about in the coming weeks and months to hear more from people working in all parts of the red meat industry.”
Her predecessor said:“kate brings a wealth of experience to the role of chair, both as a farmer and a vet.
“Her passion for farming is shared by her enthusiasm for the wider industry and inspiring and educating people about farming and where their food comes from.