By Jim McLaren,
Quality Meat Scotland chairman

DECISIONS have been made in the last year which look set to have a major impact on the future shape of the global political landscape.
These changes will inevitably have a significant impact on the Scottish agricultural industry and the importance of Scottish red meat production within that industry, and to the wider Scottish economy, is something which QMS has been highlighting in recent months.
The publication of a report recently commissioned by QMS reveals that the red meat supply chain in Scotland contributes around £2.4 billion to total output.
This equates to a £733 million contribution to Scotland’s Gross Domestic Product and provides employment totalling 33,000 jobs. The report also clearly lays out the Scottish red meat industry’s very considerable importance in terms of employment in rural areas through jobs created by farming and meat processing.
One of the key remaining frustrations is the stubborn lack of profitability at farmgate level.
The start of a new year is always a good opportunity to take a step back and reflect on all the attributes and strengths our industry has to offer.
I am greatly encouraged by the increasing thirst for knowledge around opportunities to improve farm business bottom lines and a new wave of willingness by farmers to share ideas and innovation with other farmers.
The announcement of a raft of nine new monitor farms, in conjunction with AHDB cereals and oilseeds, will bring yet more focus to the challenge of profitability and sustainability, with a new emphasis on the attributes of mixed farming systems.
Our industry has a fantastic message to tell and those who work in it have so many reasons to be proud of the Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Specially Selected Pork brands.
We have products which are naturally produced and adhere to world-leading quality assurance schemes which make animal welfare a priority. We live in a country in which almost 80% of the land is grass and rough grazing which is unsuitable for cereal or vegetable growing but ideal for top quality beef and lamb production.
The ample water with which we are provided brings its own challenges but also means we are not diverting water away from human use to water livestock. This is becoming an increasing global focus when it comes to sustainable food production. As farmers, we can also take pride in our role as managers of land which creates and maintains landscapes which are the envy of the world and helps to make Scotland the tourist attraction it is.
I take every opportunity to spread the word about our fantastic industry, whether speaking to potential customers overseas or with consumers at events like the Royal Highland Show. However, each and every person working in our industry has the potential to be a valuable ambassador for the brands and our industry.
Something which is very heartening is the way more and more beef, lamb and pork producers are getting behind their brands. Whether this is simply posting a picture of the Scotch Lamb dish they are having for dinner on Facebook or getting involved in consumer sampling activities – the potential impact if every livestock farmer helped to spread the word about their brands is massive.
Equally the potential benefit to the industry of the work the small team at QMS undertakes is hugely magnified with the support of levy payers. Our door is very much open and our thanks go to all those farmers who take time to help us with our work in many ways including serving on the working groups which help to inform our activities.
As QMS budgets continue to reduce, this support and assistance will become ever more significant in the months and years ahead. We have a great industry, producing iconic brands underpinned by integrity and quality assurance and some of the best stock people in the world.
Despite the many challenges we all face and the immediate uncertainty on many fronts, there is a sense of a move to focus more on the positives and dwell less on the negatives.
If, in 2017, the passion and commitment of those who work in the red meat sector can be harnessed positively, our industry has many reasons to look forward to the future with confidence.