Local heroes are the key to future

By Andrew Arbuckle
Published on 16/02/2013 02:10

BUY local was the message put out yesterday by Scottish farming and meat industry leaders after they visited a Scottish meat processing plant as part of their campaign to stand apart from the on-going horsemeat scandal.

Quality Meat Scotland chairman Jim McLaren and NFU Scotland president Nigel Miller toured the Simon Howie Foods plant near Dunning where the company produces around 500 product lines for around 150 hotels and restaurants as well as Tesco, Sainsbury, Asda and Morrisons.

Owner Simon Howie said the business ensured the traceability and quality of the meat it sold by in-depth knowledge and understanding of its suppliers. We pride ourselves in the relationships with our suppliers and customers. That is based on dealing with people we know and people who know us and know we won’t compromise on quality.”

McLaren stressed the benefits of a short supply chain and buying local while Miller said that consumers were looking for traceability and quality to be built into every step their food takes from farm to plate and Scotland had the standards and systems in place that could deliver that.