Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) is an

executive non-departmental public body In the United Kingdom, non-departmental public body (NDPB) is a classification applied by the Cabinet Office, Treasury, the Scottish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive to public sector organisations that have a role in the process of n ...

of the Scottish Government. It promotes the red meat sector and markets the

Protected Geographical Indication Three European Union schemes of geographical indications and traditional specialties, known as protected designation of origin (PDO), protected geographical indication (PGI), and traditional specialities guaranteed (TSG), promote and protect nam ...

Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb brands. It was set up in 1990 (originally as the Scottish Quality Beef & Lamb Association) to provide assurance to industry and consumers that animals produced for the food chain met certain standards. It was established on a statutory basis in 2008, replacing the Meat and Livestock Commission.

Controversies

In 2021, covert footage was shot at a high welfare farm owned by Philip Sleigh, the chairman of the pig standard-setting committee at Quality Meat Scotland. Footage showed farmers hammering pigs to death, weak piglets being slammed into concrete floors and pigs with severe untreated prolapses. Animal Equality UK said "Rubbing shoulders with government officials and accreditation reps, Philip Sleigh was entrusted with a position of power, yet his own farm breached the very standards he helped set".

References

External links

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Scotch Beef and Lamb

Specially Selected Pork
Agriculture in Scotland Farm assurance Scottish cuisine Executive non-departmental public bodies of the Scottish Government Organisations based in Edinburgh 1999 establishments in Scotland Government agencies established in 1999 Meat industry organizations Brand name meats Meat processing in the United Kingdom Animals in Scotland {{Livestock-stub