Increasing Opportunities for Scotch Assured Red Meat Within Public Sector A Position Paper by the Scottish Red Meat Resilience Group

The Scottish Red Meat Resilience Group is an industry leadership body, designed to provide a collaborative working mechanism for key membership organisation within the Scottish Red Meat Sector. Membership consists of representation from NFU Scotland, Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers, Scottish Craft Butchers, Institute of Auctioneer and Appraisers in Scotland, Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs, National Sheep Association Scotland, Scottish Beef Association, Pig Industry Leadership Group, and is chaired by Quality Meat Scotland.

The Scottish Red Meat Resilience Group commissioned this position paper to be developed, with procurement of Scottish Red Meat by public sector organisations a key developmental priority for the sector.

There are currently several methods of applying to supply red meat to public sector bodies and we recognise the work that has been done in recent years to both increase the availability of high quality locally sourced red meat and the work to streamline the procurement processes.  However, there is still more work to do and we would welcome the opportunity to work with the public sector and the providers of red meat in Scotland to work together to aim to achieve each of the following: -

• Establishment of one framework for all public procurement.
• Streamline the process, to enable locally produced Quality Assured products to compete on a level playing field with imported products.
• Enable Scottish people to have the opportunity to eat locally sourced Quality Assured red meat, when in any public sector building or attending any public sector event.
• Build on our reputation as a land of food and drink and enable the whole population to partake in our high quality locally produced Quality Assured meat products. 
• Promote to all consumers of food provided or purchased the provenance of their food and the quality assurance credentials that make up the “Scotch” difference.

This will be delivered by a series of actions including: -

1.0 Completing an analysis of data availability from across the public sector on how much public money they spend on red meat products versus other food groups.

2.0 Engaging with Local Authorities and Central Government to seek additional investment in budgets for public food.

3.0 Investigating future public procurement policies, through changes to State Aid legislation as a direct result of the UK leaving the EU.

4.0 Exploring the potential of integrated supply chains enabling local producers and smaller suppliers to fulfil contracts.

5.0 Exploring the potential to increase stunned Halal meat in public procurement.

6.0 Further developing the reputation of Scotch Beef PGI, Scotch Lamb PGI and Specially Selected Pork to highlight the public health benefits of high-quality red meat as part of a balanced diet. 

Read the full paper here -https://www.qmscotland.co.uk/sites/default/files/290721_scottish_red_meat_resilience_group_position_paper_published.pdf