New Board In Place As QMS Becomes NDPB

The move follows the independent review of the five GB and UK statutory agriculture and horticulture levy bodies in 2005. A decision was taken to retain a separate meat promotion and development body in Scotland as an NDPB, wholly accountable to Ministers, from 1st April 2008.

QMS Board members appointed by the Scottish Government have already attended an induction meeting and take over responsibility for guiding the organisation in its work on behalf of Scottish red meat businesses.

Levy payers will benefit from an immediate change implemented by QMS. From now on the levy will be collected 'in house' rather than routing through the MLC at an annual administrative saving of around £25,000.

Chairman Donald Biggar said: “Whilst the status of QMS may have changed our core aim remains the same: to help red meat businesses become more profitable in an increasingly competitive global market place.

“The organisation has an ambitious schedule of work in place with clear performance targets to be met. As the new Board members 'bed in' we anticipate, as with any change of personnel, they will bring fresh ideas and impetus to our cross cutting activities in industry development, marketing and key areas like research.

“We already enjoy a positive working relationship with the Scottish Government and its officials and we expect that to continue now that our change of status is official.

“At a time when all our sectors, cattle, sheep and particularly pigs are up against it, it is vital to have a levy body, engaging effectively with industry, government, retailers and the consumer to make a real difference on their behalf.”

Notes to editors:

1. A review of the agricultural and horticultural levy bodies was carried out in 2005 by Rosemary Radcliffe.

2. UK Ministers announced their decisions on the way ahead on 28 June 2006. The five levy boards covered by the review were the British Potato Council, the Horticultural Development Council, the Home Grown Cereals Authority, the Meat and Livestock Commission (MLC) and the Milk Development Council. The review also examined the structure of Quality Meat Scotland (QMS). QMS receives the Scottish red meat industry levy and carries out the functions of the Meat and Livestock Commission in Scotland, reporting to Scottish Ministers.

3. The June 2006 announcement emphasised QMS's crucial role in promoting and developing the red meat industry in Scotland. Ministers also recognised the distinctiveness of the red meat sector in Scotland and consequently decided that a separate red meat promotion body would be retained and made wholly accountable to Scottish Ministers.

4. Legislation came into force on 1st April 2008 establishing QMS as a Non Departmental Public Body and accountable to Scottish Ministers for the spending of the levy. QMS is required to agree levy rates with Scottish Ministers annually. The QMS Board has submitted a proposal to maintain the status quo for 2008/09.

5. QMS Board members appointed by the Scottish Government are:

JIM ARBUCKLE, MBE is a Farms Director of a large scale mixed farming business. He is a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies (FRAS). He was a founding member, director and chairman of several livestock and arable marketing co-ops in the 80s and 90s. He has been a Director of the Scottish Agricultural College and a Governor of the Rowett Institute. He is a member of the Food Standards Agency's Scottish Food Advisory Committee and the Scottish Agricultural College's Consultative Council.

HENRY GRAHAM has run his own farm business for the past 30 years. He worked as an Agricultural Adviser in the Western Isles, as a Farm Manager of the College Farm in Sutherland, and then as an Advisor in the Lothians. He spent 28 years working in Agribusiness roles with the Clydesdale Bank and was one of eight leaders of its Business Executive Team in the UK. He is currently a Board member of the Scottish Agricultural College, Director of the Royal Highland Centre Ltd for the past 3 years. He was Vice-President of the Royal Highland Agricultural Society in 2001 and a member of the Society's Executive Committee for the last 6 years.

ROBERT HOWAT runs a beef and sheep farm. He was involved in the development of Buccleuch Lamb Group of which he was a Director for three years. NFU Scotland membership at local Branch level led to involvement at national level, culminating in recent experience as its Vice President. He holds the positions of Chairman of the Scottish Sheep Marketing Forum and Board Member of Elmwood College. He is a current Board Member of QMS with responsibility for the Sheep Strategy Group.

DANNY MILLER manages a large beef enterprise and is currently both a NFU Scotland Regional Board member and NFU Scotland Highland Region Livestock Committee representative. He is also Chairman of North Highland Products, a farmer led marketing organisation. He was Chairman of the Caithness NFU Scotland from 2001-2003 and was Director of the farmer co-op – Caithness Livestock Breeders from 1999-2004.

ROBERT PARKER owns and runs a 200 hectare beef and sheep unit near Stranraer. In 2004 his farm became a Monitor Farm and in 2006 he was awarded a Nuffield Scholarship studying beef production in Argentina, Uruguay and Australia. He has been a Board Member of Wigtownshire Quality Lamb for the last six years and Treasurer for the last four.

ANDREW PEDDIE runs a mixed farm and since 2004 has been Chairman of Scotlean Pigs, a marketing co-op selling 10,000 pigs per week. He was Chairman of the NFU Pig Committee from 1997-2000, a member of the British Pig Executive (BPEX) from 2001-2003 and the Scottish Pig Industry Initiative Board from 1997 to 2003. He is currently a member of the Royal Highland Education Trust and has been a Board Member of the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society since 2003.

ALISTAIR DONALDSON has considerable knowledge of the processing sector. He has on farm experience and gained practical knowledge of the red meat sector within the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Scotland Livestock Inspectorate and the Meat and Livestock Commission over a period of 16 years. From 1984, he was responsible as Chief Officer, then General Manager, for all Meat and Livestock Commission activities in Scotland. He was QMS Technical Director from 2000-2002. From 2002 to January 2008 he was Executive Manager of the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers.

JOHN GREGOR has been General Manager of Aberdeen Northern Marts Ltd since 1996, prior to which he was the Business Development Manager. He has been heavily involved in the development of Thainstone Centre over a number of years. In his early career, he was an agricultural adviser with the Scottish Agricultural College in Aberdeen, Inverness and the Western Isles. He was also a Director of the Lewis and Harris Livestock Co-operatives. He is currently junior vice-president of the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland.

GORDON McKEN is Managing Director of Scottish Pig Producers Ltd and current Director of Wholesome Pigs (Scotland) Ltd. He is a current member of the QMS Board and Chair of QMS's Pig Forum and Standard Setting Body. He is also a member of the NFU Scotland (Pigs Working Group).

JIM ROYAN owns a butcher shop and has extensive experience of the processing sector. He was founder member of the Scotch Quality Beef and Lamb Association from 1973-78 and a Commissioner of the Meat and Livestock Commission from 1978-1995. From 1989-92 he was chair of Farm Assured Scotch Livestock. He is currently a Governor of the Robert Gordon University. He was Chair of NHS Grampian until October 2007.

PROFESSOR PHILLIP THOMAS has a good knowledge of agriculture and the food-chain through working in research, consultancy and education in the sector. He has held posts at the University of Leeds, Hannah Research Institute, West of Scotland Agricultural College, University of Glasgow, and was Chief Executive of the Scottish Agricultural College. Since 1999 he has worked as an independent consultant and researcher focusing on agriculture, agricultural supply and food industries. He is currently a Board Member of Scottish Natural Heritage and Chairman of Central Scotland Forest Trust.

The appointments are for three years and will run formally from April 1, 2008 to March 31, 2011. The appointments are on a part-time basis and attract a remuneration of £155 per day for a time commitment of 8-12 days per year.

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees' political activity to be made public.

Further information from: Louise Welsh, Director of Communications, Quality Meat Scotland. Tel: 0131 472 4112. Mob: 07739 900653.
The QMS website is at