Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) is proposing a 15% cut in the number of assurance standards following feedback from the farming sector.
At the launch of the levy body’s consultation on the cattle and sheep assurance scheme, the quango is proposing a refinement of the standards and a reduction in rules duplication.
Farmers and crofters are being asked to take part in the review and provide feedback on the proposed changes before they are finalised later in the year. Any agreed changes would come into place from June 1, 2025.
Some of the proposed changes include cutting the two food safety standards covering food chain information declaration and broken needle policies, as the requirements are already covered in other areas of the standards. Animal medicine requirements are also being reduced from nine to six standards to prevent duplication across other sections.
The environmental section also has proposals to reduce the three standards to two: one outlining storage and the other outlining application of waste, farmyard manure and slurry management.
Chair of the cattle and sheep assurance and QMS board member, Niall Jeffrey, said: “This review is about enhancing our cattle and sheep assurance scheme to make sure our Scotch brands continue to be a strong verification of the highest of quality and standards for customers and consumers, while being an efficient and effective process for our hardworking industry members.
“This is about making the standards more refined – adding clarity and reducing duplication whilst maintaining the integrity of our renowned, premium red meat brands."
Former chair and director of Scottish Beef Association and member of the Cattle and Sheep Standards Setting Board, John Bell, said: “I remain supportive of Quality Meat Scotland’s whole-of-life assurance schemes, which provide the necessary grounds for upholding Scotland’s high meat and welfare standards and supporting producers in getting a Scottish premium - currently around 10p/kg over England and Wales.
“The review process ensures that members are involved and have the opportunity to shape the standards, with the modifications proposed taking industry’s feedback into account without compromising the integrity of the scheme for customers and consumers.”
NFU Scotland vice president Andrew Connon said: “NFU Scotland has been in support of the principles of farm assurance for decades and remains so. In our recent response to the independent UK Farm Assurance Review, we reflected member calls for improved transparency; for the farm audit burden to be addressed and for a reduction in complexity and duplication around farm assurance schemes.
“QMS and its standard setting body, following significant engagement across the red meat chain, have brought forward proposed changes that look to address these concerns by refining current standards.”
Grace Reid, National Sheep Association (NSA) Scottish region coordinator said: “NSA Scotland are pleased that QMS are giving Cattle and Sheep Scheme members the opportunity to give feedback on proposed changes. It is vital that engagement with the farming and crofting communities is undertaken particularly when we are embarking on a new era of agricultural policy coupled with a number of highly fluctuating volatile factors.
"If you are a QMS scheme member, please make use of this chance to have your say on what not only looks to streamline and reduce the number of standards assessed but also comes as part of a wider change which has been implemented by QMS in recent years to increase communication and transparency."
The survey is open until 5pm on November 6 here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/HWC339Y
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