Toolkit to tackle anti-meat brigade

The meat and livestock industries are being urged to have positive conversations about red meat to help maintain confidence next month in the usual social media anti-meat challenges of January.

The pack of materials toolkit, which includes downloadable social media graphics, video resources, insights and shareable statistics, is being distributed by Quality Meat Scotland, having been created to positively manage the reputation of red meat during January and beyond.

Lesley Cameron, director of marketing and communications at QMS, said that the toolkit would help farmers add their voice to a common - and positive – narrative for the red meat industry.

“The purpose of this toolkit isn’t to ‘fight back’ or target those with a different lifestyle, but to add the voices of all aspects of the red meat industry – from farmers, hauliers, vets, butchers, auctioneers and processors – to the discussion,” said Cameron.

“We have a lot to be proud of, with Scotch meat not only tasting delicious and being rich in essential nutrients, but produced to some of the highest possible farming and animal welfare standards."

Underpinned by three core themes, the toolkit focuses on the sustainability, health and wellbeing and power of buying local.

Owen Roberts, of Meat Promotion Wales which is also backing the campaign along with the AHDB said: “The key message for the New Year is that people don’t need to cut whole groups of foods from their diet, just choose food which has been produced ethically and sustainably.”