Own the Future: QMS on Evidence & Action
What happens when you face a declining cattle herd, rising costs, and uncertain political footing? You build a campaign so grounded in evidence and collective purpose that it brings the entire industry with you. That’s exactly what Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) has done in partnership with the Scottish Red Meat Resilience Group (SRMRG) through Meating Our Potential.
In the latest GMA Download, we sat down with Sarah Millar, Chief Executive of QMS, and Holly McLennan, Director of Comms and External Affairs, to unpack how this campaign came to life and what the rest of us can learn from it.
Start with the Problem, Not the PR
Too often, comms start with the tactic - a slogan, a video, a flashy event. But QMS did things strategically. They began with a shared problem: a steady, concerning decline in Scotland’s cattle population. Sarah explained that economic modelling was the foundation. They asked:
What happens to the economy, to rural areas, to jobs, if this decline continues?
What would reversing it look like, not in vague terms, but in herd numbers and monetary value?
The answer: To maintain current levels of self-sufficiency, Scotland would need 79,000 more cattle by 2030. A daunting figure, until you break it down. About two more cows per herd, per year over the next three to four years. Manageable. Tangible. Actionable.
Evidence First, Everything Else Follows
Holly made it clear that comms. follows business, not the other way around. The pledge that’s now gaining headlines - a call to “feed our growing nation with locally produced sustainable red meat” - only came after months of evidence-gathering, strategy-setting, and stakeholder mapping.
And they didn’t do it alone. The SRMRG, a cross-section of the sector, co-built the messaging. From farmers to processors to auctioneers to retailers… all played a role in shaping a united front.
Targeted Messaging, Smart Delivery
QMS tailored its messaging for three distinct audiences:
Consumers, who needed to understand the local value and sustainability of Scottish red meat.
Industry, who needed to see and feel confident in the business case.
Decision-makers, who needed a clear tailored audiencereason to act and support.
The Pledge Board became a powerful visual signed publicly by key institutions including the Scottish and UK governments.
Behind the scenes, a producer toolkit is being developed to help farmers assess and take action, with the assurance that government, banks and advisers etc. were also on board.
Talking About Emissions Without Fear
One of the most thoughtful parts of the QMS campaign was how it approached the topic of emissions. Rather than avoiding the conversation, the team acknowledged the complexity. Yes, increasing cattle numbers has emissions implications. But they placed that within a broader context recognising that all food production carries an environmental cost, and that it's about how and where that food is produced.
The campaign makes the case that investing in efficient, home-grown production supports both climate and food security goals. As Sarah explained, it’s about striking a balance between reducing emissions and building a resilient, responsible food system for the future: “The future won’t forgive us if we don’t act.”
The Bigger Lesson
This campaign isn’t just a model for Scotland. It’s a reminder for every region grappling with change. That if you:
Start with a shared problem,
Build a credible evidence base,
Engage meaningfully with everyone it affects,
And deliver tailored audience messaging that speaks to shared goals...
...you’re not just launching a campaign. You’re helping shape the future of your industry.
And whilst Meating Our Potential is rooted in Scotland’s context, the thinking behind it carries global relevance. At its core, the campaign is a blueprint for how the red meat sector can face shared challenges, declining livestock numbers, shifting public narratives, emissions pressures, with clarity, and unity. As Sarah reflected:
“The big message coming out of this is that when you are trying to really tackle fundamental problems, you cannot do it alone... Sometimes moving slower and being mindful of that end goal can be much more productive.”
And from Holly:
“Let’s all just share our evidence and share how we’re using that evidence and how we’re making that evidence mean something… Collaboration and sharing all the way across the globe at different time zones.”
Want to share your own learnings or connect on campaigns like this? Reach out to GMA and help strengthen our collective potential.
Quality Meat Scotland’s “Meating Our Potential” partnership campaign with the Scottish Red Meat Resilience Group (SRMRG) is a standout example of meaningful, industry-driven action. With layered messaging, credible data, and a deliberate rollout plan, it reflects the kind of alignment many in the GMA network are aiming to build within their own regions.
Quality Meat Scotland’s “Meating Our Potential” partnership campaign with the Scottish Red Meat Resilience Group (SRMRG) is a standout example of meaningful, industry-driven action. Rooted in economic modelling and shaped through genuine cross-supply chain input, it tackles the challenge of declining cattle numbers head-on – not with slogans, but with evidence, strategy, and shared ownership. Anchored by a public-facing pledge, it invites organisations across the sector to show visible support for Scotland’s red meat producers, while also driving farmer-level conversations through a practical “two-cow” message and upcoming producer toolkit. Recorded as part of a GMA Download episode with Sarah Millar, CEO, and Holly McLennan, Head of Communications and External Affairs, it’s more than a campaign. It’s a case study in how to unify an industry around shared values and responsibility and how to make that visible to decision-makers and the public. With layered messaging, credible data, and a deliberate rollout plan, it reflects the kind of alignment many in the GMA network are aiming to build within their own regions.