Welfare & Sustainability

What is Meat with Integrity?

Meat with integrity is farming with care for the animal, the land and the environment.

Scotland’s livestock farmers are passionate about looking after our iconic countryside and play a vital role in sustaining an industry which supports around 50,000 jobs – many in Scotland’s fragile rural communities.

Our farmers are caretakers of the land, who are proud to keep improving it for future generations and to be upholding one of Scotland’s oldest and most important traditional industries.

Joyce Campbell

Sheep farmer Joyce Campbell from Sutherland explains what Meat with Integrity means to her.

Sustainable and Ethical Farming

Over 80% of Scottish farmland is grassland or rough grazing not suitable for growing cereals and vegetables but ideal for beef and lamb production. As part of a natural cycle, grass grazed by livestock absorbs carbon from the atmosphere and captures it in the soil contributing to an important carbon sink.

Livestock farmers work in harmony with nature. For example, habitat corridors are created by planting hedges and trees on farmland. This, and different grassland sowing and cutting regimes will help promote and protect natural habitats for wildlife such as curlew, snipe and lapwings.

High animal welfare standards

When you see the Scotch Beef PGI, Scotch Lamb PGI or Specially Selected Pork logo, you’re supporting farms that uphold stringent animal welfare standards.

 

Our quality assured farms are independently audited and inspected to ensure the very highest welfare standards are met. And our farmers wouldn’t have it any other way.

Fraser Shaw

Fraser Shaw’s farm in Dumfries & Galloway is independently checked and approved by the Scottish SPCA for upholding the highest standards of animal welfare.

Bruce McConnachie

Bruce McConnachie’s farm in the Cairngorms has been in his family for 70 years with an unwavering commitment to animal welfare.

Animal welfare charter

Our Animal Welfare Charter recognises the five freedoms of animal welfare. These protect all livestock under the Scotch Beef PGI, Scotch Lamb PGI and Specially Selected Pork labels from hunger and malnutrition, from discomfort, pain, injury or disease. Animals have freedom to express normal behaviour and freedom from fear and distress. This is all underpinned by independent checks from the Scottish SPCA.

 

Trusted farms

Scotch Beef PGI, Scotch Lamb PGI and Specially Selected Pork only comes from trusted local farms.

Hazel McNee

Hazel McNee’s farm in Angus holds records for every animal in the herd to guarantee provenance.

Quality assurance

Meat with Integrity goes beyond the farm. From feed suppliers and hauliers to auction markets and processors, a whole chain and whole of life assurance programme underpins the integrity of all red meat carrying the Scotch Beef PGI, Scotch Lamb PGI and Specially Selected Pork labels, which is produced to an uncompromisingly high standard.

Trust and expertise

If there was a recipe for Meat with Integrity, it would include generations of experience, unwavering dedication and plenty of expertise and skill. Some of Scotland’s finest butchers and chefs are the perfect examples.

Andrew Doherty

Head chef Andrew Doherty explains why he chooses Scotch Beef PGI, Scotch Lamb PGI and Specially Selected Pork.