The James Hutton Institute
This page is no longer updated. The Macaulay Land Use Research Institute joined forces with SCRI on 1 April 2011 to create The James Hutton Institute.
THE STATE OF SCOTLAND'S FARMED ENVIRONMENT 2005
31. Quality Assurance Schemes (Quality Meat Scotland and Scottish Quality Cereals)
Driven by the demands of consumers, particularly in EU markets, for assurances over the way their food is produced, farm and quality assurance schemes have been developed in EU member states, but also in countries outside the EU such Australia and New Zealand . In Scotland , a number of different quality assurance schemes are operating, most importantly different schemes in the meat sector under Quality Meat Scotland and for cereals under Scottish Quality Cereals which set the standards for the different schemes (NFUS, 2005). The assurance schemes are monitored, and farms inspected, by the Scottish Food Quality Certification Ltd., an independent organization responsible for the certification (Scottish Quality Cereals, 2005a).
AIM
The objective of these schemes is to ensure that the consumers and the trade have confidence that the meat and crops are produced with a high standard of management, especially of farm operations which might affect the wholesomeness or safety of the food produced or the health of the environment and countryside. The schemes aim to assist farmers to meet their obligations under the Food Safety Act 1990 (Scottish Quality Cereals, 2005a).
Quality Assurance Schemes - Implementation >>