Quality Meat Scotland campaign to receive £200K
First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, has announced £200,000 of new funding to support Quality Meat Scotland’s (QMS) 2018 Scotch Lamb PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) promotional campaign.
The announcement comes after the First Minister attended the recent agricultural show, the Turriff Show, and took part in some barbequing of lamb products, as she was joined by young farmers and local butchers.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon with Jim McLaren, chairman of Quality Meat Scotland at the Turriff Show.
The promotional campaign, run by QMS, is set to begin at the end of August and will last eight weeks. It aims to spread the word to Scottish consumers about the quality of Scotch Lamb as well as its taste and versatility.
Sturgeon commented on the funding: “The food and drink sector plays an important part in Scotland’s economy so it is important we promote our premium produce.
“The strength of our farming industry would not be possible without the dedication and commitment of the farmers who work tirelessly to produce high quality meat.
“That hard work and premium product is recognised by the protection given by the EU to the Scotch Lamb brand and we will be working hard to continue that protection in the future.
“I’m pleased we could support this year’s campaign which will help encourage consumers to buy Scotch Lamb as part of their regular shopping.”
Jim McLaren, QMS chairman, said: “The announcement by the First Minister is fantastic news for the Scottish sheep industry and it’s a great boost for our producers.
“This additional funding will enhance our comprehensive marketing and public relations Scotch Lamb PGI campaign, which is due to launch at the end of August.”
About Scotch Lamb PGI
Scotch Lamb PGI is taken from specific animals that are sourced from selected Scottish farms adopting best practice, including animal welfare and natural production methods.
PGI is the legal protection system to guarantee a genuinely authentic product.
Scotch Lamb is one of 15 protected Geographical Indicators under EU law.
The sheep sector plays a significant part in Scotland’s red meat industry, which is worth £892 million to Scotland.
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