Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) has trimmed 15% of its cattle & sheep assurance scheme standards in a drive to cut red tape, while pledging to keep the quality behind the Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb brands intact.
The revisions are designed to be more user-friendly and to reduce the audit burden on members. QMS says the number of standards has been slashed through streamlining and the removal of duplication, while keeping the scheme robust and credible.
The review placed emphasis on transparency and member engagement, with a new consultation stage introduced after a governance review in 2022.
This allowed members to view and comment on proposals before final approval, ensuring the final standards reflected first-hand feedback from those directly affected.
The new standards, approved by the Standards Setting Body and the QMS Board, will come into force on 1 January 2026.
Kathryn Kerr, head of brands integrity at QMS, said listening to members and stakeholders throughout the review has been critical.
"Their insights have helped us make the standards simpler and easier to use, without compromising the high levels of quality and integrity consumers expect from our brands.
“The QMS Assurance Scheme – which celebrates 35 years of continued excellence in 2025 – plays a vital role in underpinning the integrity of the Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb brands.
"Consumers care more than ever how their food is produced, and these standards provide the assurance of provenance, high standards of animal welfare and responsible production.”
The new standards are presented in a clearer format to make them easier for farmers to use. Animal medicine and food chain requirements have been consolidated to remove duplication, while health planning has been revised to clarify the distinct responsibilities of farmers and vets.
Traceability rules have also been updated to strengthen record-keeping and reduce confusion. In addition, the revised standards continue to place strong emphasis on biosecurity, animal health and welfare, and the responsible use of medicines.
QMS says the changes are not only designed to support farmers but also to give shoppers confidence that Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb are produced to consistently high standards.
Niall Jeffrey, chair of the QMS Cattle & Sheep Standards Setting Committee, said: "I’m proud of the latest update, which protects the integrity of the renowned Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb brands both locally and internationally.
“We listened closely to farmers and streamlined the standards by 15%, removing duplication and making them easier to follow—without losing rigour.
"Working with vets and supply chain partners, we’ve improved clarity on health planning and traceability."
