Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) has created a new department to counter negative messages about the red meat industry.
The levy body’s chief executive, Alan Clarke, said a strategic engagement department had been created to provide accurate information about the industry in response to negative messages from the vegan and anti-meat movements in particular.
At a press briefing Mr Clarke said: “Protecting the industry is something we have always done, but now we feel the time is right to have that as a specific resource.
“We want to make sure we are speaking with one voice on behalf of the red meat industry and that it’s based on scientific facts.”
QMS chairman Kate Rowell said the department would help aid industry concerns.
She said: “I’m very aware of the frustration that’s being felt throughout the industry about the very unbalanced and inaccurate media coverage (of the industry) driven by the anti-red meat agenda.”
The new department will be headed up by the levy body’s former head of industry development, Doug Bell, who has been replaced by Sarah Millar.
Mr Bell said: “My role is to enhance and protect the defending of our industry and to look at trying to bring everyone together.”
