New beef promotional body fails to attract much Scottish support

A NEW promotional body that intends holding the "Great British Beef" week this month, yesterday admitted that it has not garnered much support north of the Border.

Minette Batters, co-founder of Ladies in Beef, said that life had been so hectic since the official launch of the organisation last month that it had not had time to generate support in Scotland.

"We need to make inroads in Scotland," she said. "So far, we have 30 supporters from various parts of England, all of whom are prepared to be interviewed and speak positively about beef production, but we have no-one from Scotland."

Batters who has 100 suckler cows on her farm in South Wiltshire and who is the chairman of the National farmers Union in that area, said the sole aim of the organisation was to promote home-produced beef.

"Our campaign is to highlight the importance of beef production, both as part of a healthy, nutritious and balanced diet and also to appreciate the vital role that livestock production plays in the management of the countryside."

She explained that EBLEX, the English counterpart of Quality Meat Scotland, was constrained by its constitution, which prevents it from carrying out the commercial work required to ensure that retailers and butchers stock home-grown beef.

That was the spur to Batters and co-founder Jilly Greed, another beef farmer, acting to ensure that meat buyers were buying beef produced in this country, specifically meat with the Red Tractor logo. The logo gives assurance on animal welfare and environmental protection throughout the production of the beef.

Greed said that even in the short time Ladies in Beef had been operating, she was pleased with the positive response that the organisation had been getting from the major retailers.

The high-profile launch took place in London with the Princess Royal, in her role as Master of the Worshipful Company of Butchers, attending the event.

While Quality Meat Scotland representatives attended the event, a spokesperson said yesterday: "Understandably, our energy and resources are very much focused on promoting the Scottish industry's brand, Scotch Beef.

"That said, we welcome initiatives such as this which raise the profile of beef and increase the awareness of consumers and others of the product produced in the UK and similar initiatives, such as Ladies in Pigs north of the Border, have proved successful."