‘Integrity’ campaign to promote Scottish meat

Somebody should do something about it!” is the often heard complaint from farmers about the negative portrayal of the industry in the media – but few take action.

But all those who feel that the industry often fails to get a fair hearing were yesterday urged to help spread the message being put out in a new social media campaign set to be rolled out next week by Quality Meat Scotland.

Joyce Campbell, the Suth- erland sheep farmer who was unveiled yesterday as one of the faces of the initiative, right, said that the industry should “man up” and stand up to these negative messages by putting out its own focusing on the positive aspects of beef, lamb and pork production in Scotland: “And the story’s not just about food – it’s about animal welfare, it’s about the environment, it’s about sustainability, it’s about climate change, it’s about maintaining communities and it’s about farmers’ connection with the land.”

She said she had jumped at the chance to become involved in the scheme as she felt it was important the sector looked at itself through consumers’ eyes and answered any questions which were arising.

Campbell is one of four individuals to star in series of short video clips filmed on-farm which outline, in the farmer’s own words, the passion and integrity which goes into producing Scotch quality meat – which is due to be launched next Monday.

Fraser Shaw from Dumfries and Galloway, Bruce Mcconachie from the Cairngorms and Hazel Mcnee from Tealing near Dundee will be the others to feature in the £200,000 targeted campaign which will cover billboard, print, social media and digital activity focusing in “Meat with Integrity”– although TV airing could also feature if additional funding becomes available.

QMS chief executive Alan Clark said that the current campaign would be part of an on-going process which would continue to develop and spread the positive messages about meat production in Scotland – and spread the truth about why the livestock industry in Scotland was very different to the picture often painted by anti-meat groups.

Admitting that the campaign would not be a quick fix for the current crisis in the beef sector, he said that it formed part of a longerterm strategy to address some of the underlying challenges facing the redmeat sector.

The organisation’s chair, Kate Rowell, said that the campaign’s efforts to highlight the positive welfare, environmental, climate change and health messages of livestock production in Scotland had gained the backing and support of a whole range of organisations – including the Scottish Society for the Protection of Animals (SSPCA)

She said a huge amount of care had gone into developing the initiative which would also raise awareness of the heritage, skills and expertise in the industry.

“Almost everyone shares a sense of frustration about the lack of balance and accuracy in the media and social media – but now we have a real opportunity to pull together as an industry in a concerted effort to get the facts out,” she said.