Collaborating to promote the red meat food journey to young people this spring

This spring, the Health and Education Team at Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) will be back out on the road for the first time in two years, attending and supporting a series of educational events across Scotland to inform the next generation on the red meat food journey, from farm to fork.

Kickstarting with support at the Prince’s Foundation Food for the Future Event at Dumfries House on 25th April, the team will be travelling to four main regions in Scotland, showcasing the educational resource, Farming Foodsteps. This will be used to illustrate and prompt discussion with children, teenagers and teachers about the health benefits, high-welfare animal standards and sustainability credentials of Scotch Beef PGI, Scotch Lamb, and Specially Selected Pork.

Jennifer Robertson, Health and Education manager at QMS said: “We are truly excited to be getting back out and interacting with young people and our stakeholders in person.

“To build on the work of attending these events to communicate and inspire with the key messages around Scottish red meat production and consumption, we will be ensuring the learning continues when pupils return to both the classroom and their home environments. With our range of new, interactive resources within Farming Foodsteps, from Mission Sustain to the Farming Circle of Life, we hope to provide youngsters with all the information necessary to make good food choices.”

The event at Dumfries House will be followed by the RHET Forth Valley Estates Day on 10th May and the Borders Union Schools Countryside Education Day on 17th May. The team will also be attending the RHET Ayrshire and Arran Spring Festival of Farming on 25th May and the Royal Northern Agricultural Society Education Day on 30th May, followed by Scotsheep on 1st June.

Lesley Cameron, Marketing & Communications Director at QMS said: “As part of our broader strategy to re-engage with our levy payers and stakeholders following the restrictions of covid, we also want to connect with the next generation.

“The Health and Education team have such a rich range of resources, and it is imperative that we continue supporting children’s learning on the importance of eating a healthy balanced diet that involves nutrient-rich red meat, as well as on sustainable food production in Scotland.”

Farming Foodsteps is a resource designed to support students explore the farm to fork journey of Scotland’s red meat. Within it is ‘Mission Sustain’, a free interactive game designed to encourage young people to engage in discussion around sustainability in Scottish farming. Players look at sustainability from a farmer’s perspective and face challenges before being prompted to make decisions that will impact environmental, economic and social sustainability. 

If you would like to invite the QMS team to visit a school or attend an event, please contact education@qmscotland.co.uk. To keep up to date with all the Health and Education Team’s activities, follow @MakeitScotchSc on Twitter or @MakeItScotch on Instagram and Facebook. You can also find Farming Foodsteps and Mission Sustain at: www.qmscotland.co.uk/FarmingFoodsteps