Public appointment: board of Quality Meat Scotland

The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon MSP, today announced the appointment of Ian Bentley, Peter Brown, Adrian Ivory, Scott Jarron and Niall Jeffrey as Members of the Board of Quality Meat Scotland (QMS).

Appointments

Ian Bentley brings a depth of retail experience after a long career in Marks & Spencer Food Division.  After leaving M&S, he took up a non-Executive role with Scotbeef Ltd, one of Scotland’s largest meat processors, and he continues in this role today.  He is also active in both Scottish and UK meat trade associations.

Peter Brown studied agriculture at Aberdeen University, worked for six years with the Highlands and Islands Development Board, then become founder and Managing Director of Scottish Food Quality Certification (Edinburgh) and CMi Certification (Oxford).  He was involved for over twenty years in the establishment of farm assurance schemes across the UK and further afield.  He has chaired two arts charities and has been Chair and Director of The List. He has a Masters in Gastronomy from Queen Margaret University.

Adrian Ivory graduated from the Royal Agricultural College with a BSc Hons degree and took over the running of his family farm in 2004.  He has a herd of 150 commercial breeding females alongside 55 pedigree Simmentals, 45 pedigree Charolais and a couple of Beef Shorthorns.  He also harvests 1,500 acres of cereals annually.  Mr Ivory completed the Scottish Rural Leadership Programme in 2008 as well as Harvest the Growth in 2015.  He sits on the British Simmental Council, was a member of the British Charolais Council and was awarded a Fellowship of the Royal Agricultural Societies in 2019.

Scott Jarron has considerable retail experience in the red meat industry, having directed Scott Brothers Butchers in Dundee for the last fifteen years. He was President of Scottish Craft Butchers and contributed to the Scottish Red Meat Resilience Group, and The Beef Strategy 2030 Group.  He also served as President of Dundee & District Master Butchers, the Boxmaster (Vice President) of The Fleshers Trade, Committee Member of Broughty Ferry Traders Association, and a member of Dundee City Centre Management Group.

Niall Jeffrey is a mixed beef and arable farmer based in East Lothian.  He graduated with a BSc in agriculture from Newcastle University and spent some time working in New Zealand, completing a BASIS certificate in Agriculture, before joining the family business in 2009.  He is currently an Agri-EPI Centre satellite farmer and, in 2018, he won the AgriScot Scotch Beef Farmer of the Year.

The appointments are regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

Length of term, remuneration and time commitment

The appointments are for four years and commenced on 1 September 2021.  They will end on 31 August 2025.  Members of the QMS Board receive £181.80 per day for a time commitment of 20 days per year.

Other ministerial appointments

Mr Bentley, Mr Brown, Mr Ivory, Mr Jarron and Mr Jeffrey do not hold any other Ministerial appointments.

Political activity

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 within the last five years (if there is any to be declared) to be made public.

Mr Bentley, Mr Brown, Mr Ivory, Mr Jarron and Mr Jeffrey have had no political activity within the last five years.

Quality Meat Scotland

QMS’ mission is to deliver a range of activities to support the development of a sustainable, professional, profitable and resilient Scottish red meat industry.  QMS will promote and protect the Scotch Beef PGI, Scotch Lamb PGI and Specifically Selected pork brands through clear, effective communication to ensure consumers fully understand what sets the brands apart – the Scotch Difference. QMS works collaboratively across the whole supply chain including farmers, processors, auction marts, livestock hauliers, feed merchants, food service providers, butchers, retailers, research institutes and learning providers to build efficiency, brand integrity and consumer confidence.