Higher QMS levy to boost promotion

ON 1 April Scottish livestock producers will start paying an increased levy to their promotional body, Quality Meat Scotland.

Yesterday, QMS highlighted its spending priorities for this additional cash and, not surprisingly, most of it will go towards increasing sales of beef, lamb and pork.

The new rates will see levy income rise from 3.9 million in 2009-10 to an estimated 4.5m in the coming year.

About 500,000 of the additional money will be spent in promotional work.

QMS will also spend 140,000 on work to improve efficiency in the livestock sector, and its health and education budget will be boosted by 50,000.

QMS chairman Donald Biggar emphasised that the increase follows years of no change in the levy.