Scottish Election 2021: SNP plan 'Sustainably Scottish' quality mark

A single marketing brand and quality marker, to boost Scotland’s food and drink sector, will be introduced by the SNP if it wins the Holyrood election.

Scottish produce could gain a "Sustainably Scotland" mark.

The party has revealed it will create a ‘Sustainably Scottish’ brand, which will be open to all Scottish-based producers, manufacturers and suppliers, of any size, which can satisfy “stringent criteria on provenance and low carbon operations" using £1.5m of additional funding from the newly devolved red meat levy.

The party has also pledged to create a Scottish Food Agency as well as establish a new £15m fund to support food processing and manufacture to develop local supply chains and transition to low or zero carbon operations.

Former hill farmer and SNP candidate for Perthshire South and Kinross-Shire, Jim Fairlie, said: “The SNP recognises that food and drink is one of the jewels in Scotland’s economic crown – as well as a huge part of Scotland’s past, present and future – and we will do more to harness that and support its sustainable growth in the future.

“A key part of our plans to do this will be to create a single marketing brand known as ‘Sustainably Scottish’, which will not only promote Scotland’s food and drink in Scotland and across the world, but will help to ensure more of our food is produced sustainably."

The SNP has also pledged to increase the number of hubs operating in Europe to promote Scottish products.

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