A new joint initiative involving the Scottish National Fatstock Club (SNFSC), meat processor Scotbeef and retailer Marks and Spencer took a step forward last week with a group of young farmers being given a unique opportunity to “walk the chain.”
Starting in the Scotbeef abattoir at Bridge of Allan, the group then visited the company’s cutting and packing plant at Queenslie in Glasgow before finishing the day at Marks and Spencer’s Braehead store.
“The young famers had all taken part in the SNFSC competitions centred around the National Meat Competition last November and entered either cattle or sheep for judging live and as carcases in the inaugural Young Producers section,” said Laura Barwick, liaison manager with Scotbeef.
“The overall winners in the beef and sheep sections were Isla King from Crossrigs, Hutton, Berwickshire and Craig Bell, Craigo, Milnathort and their prize was a trip to Eurotier in Hanover this November but we wanted all 36 contestants to have the chance to see the whole meat chain from abattoir to retail shelf.”
Ian Galloway, chairman of Scotbeef added: “In today’s market everyone has to work closer together and understand each other’s business.
“It is all about making sure the customer gets what he or she wants. When I started in the business a butcher would prepare about 10 lines from a carcase. Today when you visit Queenslie you will see 170 different products being prepared and packed.”
The six who took part in this week’s tour were Isla Begg, Upper Criggie, Stonehaven, Erica Mathers, Tormiston, Stenness, Orkney, Matthew Steel, Craignathro, Forfar, Hilary Bennie, Southfield, Stirling, Sarah-Jane Urquhart, Pirnhall, Stirling and Layton Paul, Newbigging, Carnock.
During the Bridge of Allan visit the group saw the whole process from the point of slaughter through the boning and cutting hall to the dispatch bay. The plant, which is the largest in Scotland, is currently processing 400 cattle a day with a sheep line also fully utilised.