Supporting Scotland's global identity as a quality producer
‘Farming Scotland Magazine’, Scotland’s largest farming magazine (pictured above, with the magnificent ‘Skye of Little Rannoch’ on the front cover), ran a two-page spread about the Keep Scotland the Brand campaign in their June 2019 issue. You can read it here
‘“More Abattoirs Needed to Save Protected Food Names”, says vegetarian Ruth Watson, campaign founder of Scotland the Brand’ (sic) in this article about the importance of local facilities to animal welfare, the economy, and Scotland’s brand, published by Scottish Rural Action, the charity that works to give rural Scotland a voice, lobbying in the Scottish Parliament. Read more here.
“BRANDS MATTER and it’s not about flags or nationalism but about the economy – when we are looking at communities that are losing jobs we need to do everything we can to get an edge.” This is the sub-heading The Scottish Farmer used to introduce an article about the evidence given at Westminster by Ruth Watson, Keep Scotland the Brand campaign founder. Read the article here.
The academic blog, UK in a Changing Europe, invited Keep Scotland the Brand campaign founder, Ruth Watson, to write an article explaining why it is so important we stand up for Scotland’s brand. Read the article here
Scotland’s farmers find out more about the Keep Scotland the Brand campaign with this article in The Scottish Farmer explaining the threat to the industry. Read more here
This article from Undercurrent News, 2013, shows the importance Scotland’s fishermen place on clear marketing of their goods:
‘Scottish provenance of smoked salmon and shellfish will be key driver for growth at Associated Seafoods’ new processing facility, part of which is already up and running, the company said.
Development work on Associated Seafoods (ASL) multi-million pound upgrade program of its seafood processing facility in Buckie, north-east Scotland, is progressing well with the company announcing plans to use the Scottish provenance of its smoked salmon and shellfish as the main promotional focus for future market growth, the company said’. Read more
While many of the unique selling points (USP) for Scotland’s produce are protected by EU legislation, it is the job of the Scottish Government to help Scotland’s food and drink producers to access that protection. Their webpage, dating from 2010, has many useful and interesting links:
‘Information about food and drink is becoming increasingly important to consumers, businesses and organisations. This information includes where food and drink comes from. The Scottish Government aims to provide clear, concise and consistent advice and guidance on food and drink labels and menus.’
When protection for Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb were left out of the recent Canada – Japan – EU trade deals, there was astonishment within the farming community, articulated clearly by Farmer Jones in this podcast:
The writer and broadcaster, Lesley Riddoch, gave Keep Scotland the Brand a mention in her weekly podcast on the 22nd of December, 2017.
While Keep Scotland the Brand is not a campaign about Scottish independence, Lesley Riddoch wrote this piece for The National about the importance of Scottish provenance and her views about how that ties in with the constitutional question:
‘…. Scotch Beef, Scotch Lamb and Scotch whisky are just three products set to lose their protected status after Brexit. Will the UK Government really risk losing valuable trade deals to protect the jewels of Scotland’s trading crown? ‘