The Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) team are pulling out all the stops to make the most of the opportunity the Royal Highland Show offers to showcase the industry and its brands.

The event offers an unrivalled opportunity to show the public the work, skills and dedication which go into the production of Scotch Beef PGI, Scotch Lamb PGI and Specially Selected Pork.

Visitors to the QMS stand on avenue O will be able to watch a range of activities – from celebrity cooking and butchery demonstrations, to fun competitions and giveaways. There will also be a range of fun interactive activities for all ages in our health and education area, where the key messages will include animal welfare, the red meat industry’s great sustainability message and red meat’s role as part of a healthy diet.

Engaging consumers and producers

Jim McLaren, chair of QMS, said the Royal Highland Show offers a unique opportunity to showcase the quality of the Scotch Beef PGI, Scotch Lamb PGI and Specially Selected Pork produced in Scotland and the hard work and commitment behind its production.

Jim said: “Every inch of our stand is dedicated to communicating the positive messages our industry has direct to consumers – from quality assurance and animal welfare to red meat’s positive environmental and human health role.

“Farmers and others involved in our industry are very welcome on the stand and we hope to engage much more closely with both the general public and those involved in the production of top-quality red meat.

“We want our levy-payers to see at first hand the sort of marketing, public relations and health and education work we undertake year-round on behalf of the Scottish red meat industry.”

Hamish, Ewenice and Harry Trotter, our Scotch beef, Scotch lamb and Specially Selected Pork brand mascots will be joining our brand ambassadors to give away fantastic goodies and a special Scotch Kitchen magazine packed with recipe ideas throughout the show – find more at www.scotchkitchen.com.

SAYFC Scotch Kitchen Country Cook final

Members of the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs (SAYFC) will be challenged to create a main dish from Scotch Beef PGI, Scotch Lamb PGI and Specially Selected Pork, along with a selection of mystery ingredients, in the final of the Scotch Kitchen Country Cook competition at 11.30am on Saturday 23 June on the QMS stand on avenue O.

Bryan Burnett returns

BBC Scotland’s Bryan Burnett will again be providing a lively commentary on the wide-ranging activities taking place on the QMS stand each day and he will also be welcoming farmers and well-known faces from the red meat sector to the stage to take questions from the audience throughout the duration of the show.

Limited edition RHS 2018 t-shirts

There will be the chance to buy a much sought after limited edition Royal Highland Show 2018 Scotch Beef PGI and Scotch Lamb PGI t-shirts. T-shirts are on sale for £3 at the QMS stand with all proceeds going to the Royal Highland Education Trust during 2018, Scotland’s Year of Young People.

Master butcher demonstrations

The butchery demonstrations at the show have proved very popular, with large crowds gathering to enjoy the butchers’ skills and banter. This year we are joined by QMS master butcher, Stewart McClymont of Smiddy Butchery, Blair Drummond, who will introduce cooking demonstrations by Jak O’Donnell and Justin Maule on Saturday and Sunday.