Assurance schemes link up

24 July 2000



Assurance schemes link up

SCOTLANDS farm assurance scheme for beef and lamb and the RSPCAs Freedom Food scheme are linking up to provide dual members with a single inspection service.

Assessors from both schemes — SQBLA farm assurances John Morison and Murray Gibb and Freedom Foods Jim Stewart — will undergo training so they can conduct joint inspections.

Two hundred Freedom Food farms which are also members of SQBLA will benefit from reduced inspections.

Quality Meat Scotland board director Ian Duncan Millar said the link up demonstrated a commitment to high welfare standards and would reduce paperwork, time and costs.

Freedom Food was set up by the RSPCA in July 1994 to guarantee high standards of animal welfare.

• Farm assurance under fire, FWi, 22 July 1999
• Too many bodies lifting meat costs, FWi, 01 May 1998
• Two more supermarkets sign up to Freedom Food scheme, FWi, 12 July 1996