11 Announced on the New Board of QMS

SCOTLAND - Richard Lochhead, the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, has announced the appointment of eleven members for the new Board of Quality Meat Scotland (QMS).
calendar icon 5 February 2008
clock icon 6 minute read

Mr Lochhead said:

"I am delighted to announce the appointment of eleven new Board members for Quality Meat Scotland. The Board provides a good balance of levy and non levy payers and brings a wealth of experience of the red meat sector and other relevant skills.

"I am confident that the Board will provide strong direction for Quality Meat Scotland and ensure that it continues to work hard for the benefit of the red meat sector in Scotland.

"2007 was a tough year for Scotland's red meat sector following restrictions enforced on the back of the foot and mouth outbreaks in England.

"Producers, however, have shown great patience and resilience and with Scottish meat again being exported to Europe, we can be optimistic about 2008."

The Board members 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.

DONALD 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.

Quality Meat Scotland is Scotland's red meat promotional body, responsible for developing the red meat sector and promoting its produce around the world. Following a major review of all agricultural and horticultural levy bodies in Scotland, QMS - which is currently a private company - is to change its status to become a public body from April 1, 2008. QMS will remain wholly accountable to Scottish Ministers. In November 2007 Richard Lochhead announced the appointment of Donald Biggar as Chair of the re-structured organisation.

It will have direct statutory responsibility for a range of functions including addressing consumers' requirements for high standards of assurance throughout the food chain, underpinning demand for red meat through promotion and marketing and providing information and advice on best practice to the Scottish industry.

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