Farm relief as QMS postpones Scotch cattle eligibility changes

Quality Meat Scotland has delayed a major cattle eligibility change until later this summer, easing pressure on farmers during one of the busiest periods of the year.

The updated Scotch Potential Eligibility Cattle Checker (SPECC) will now be rolled out on 31 July 2026, rather than during the spring peak, as farms face intense workloads from lambing, calving and fieldwork.

SPECC is used to determine whether cattle qualify for Scotch beef branding, meaning the changes could affect how animals achieve eligibility, particularly on farms operating across multiple holdings.

The delay follows feedback from producers, with QMS acknowledging that introducing the changes during spring would add unnecessary strain.

Kathryn Kerr, head of brands integrity at QMS, said: “We appreciate this time of year is particularly demanding for members, with many competing priorities on farm.”

“After listening to their feedback, we have taken the decision to delay the SPECC update until 31 July 2026.”

She added the revised timeline would allow more time to support affected businesses and avoid disruption.

“This gives us more time to work closely with those affected and ensure their assured status remains uninterrupted when the changes go live.”

The delay also means QMS will temporarily pause direct contact with affected members until 5 May, before resuming support activity in the lead-up to the new implementation date.

However, farmers are being reminded to familiarise themselves with the upcoming changes well ahead of the July deadline.

Under the revised system, SPECC will no longer use additional holdings notified to QMS to confer Scotch eligibility status on cattle.

This is expected to have the greatest impact on farms that rely on multiple holdings for grazing or wintering.

ScotEID and QMS will contact affected members directly to outline any actions required.

Farmers are being encouraged to use ScotMoves, an online tool designed to record cattle movements between holdings without needing to update passports each time.

Calves born on additional holdings can continue to be tagged using the main herd mark.

With the deadline now pushed back to July, farmers have a limited window to review how the changes will affect their systems and ensure compliance before the new rules come into force.