[lill]

If anyone wishes to attend a training day to enable them to receive a pedigree pork status, please pm me with your email details. Myself and David have been trying to get this status since last year and the only way we can get this off the ground is by asking who else would like to have their pork classed as "freedom foods" "Scottish selected pork" "free range pedigree pork" these are just a few slogans they are working with.If anyone has any other slogans please send them in a pm to me and then they will be forwarded to QMS who will then decide where and when the training day/days will take place and they are willing to subsidise this event if there is enough people interested.
Why can't the small pedigree producers have the same status as the large producers, for afterall when we take our animals to the slaughterhouse we have always to pay a QMS levy and we never have had anything in return. We know we have pedigree free range pork lets stick together and fight for the same rights as the big boys. QMS do know that we get nothing from them and to pay a hefty levy to them and still have to be governed by the rules and regs printed for the large producers which would be impossible for us small producers to adhere to. This is now our chance to be equal with the big boys for afterall if it was not for the pedigree producers there would be no F1 hybrid pigs for these big producers would not exist.

[hughesy]

I wouldn't want to be tarred with the same brush as the big producers personally. The freedom food thing is bullshit designed to make the big players look like they care. They after all want the kudos of the free range, happy animals living in natural conditions type of image that the small pig keeper has, in order to take advantage of the value that it holds with the end user. The requirements for using the words free range are left wanting as far as some of  the big pork producers are concerned. Far better to use the BPA resources to market the quality of your pedigree pigs and emphasise to your customers that your animals are kept in natural conditions just like the consumer wants. I fully agree that nobody should be paying a levy for services that don't benefit them though.

[lill]

we are not tarred with the same brush, never have and never will be. I have personally worked with the BPA and in Scotland the BPA does actually nothing. I think that you are getting confused with the big boys with the slogan freedom foods, the freedom foods are for the wee guys like us, if we cant get recognition from QMS then when we are successful in this programme i do hope you then decide not to jump on the band waggon and take the trip along with the folk who have been fighting for this recognition for the last 18 months.

[HappyHippy]

I agree that I wouldn't want 'Freedom Foods' status for my pigs - Freedom foods does not equal outdoor raised, they're usually inside with 'toys' to keep them occupied and they get natural light (in the case of chickens anyway) I personally don't think a lot of the freedom foods ethos   and don't think I'd like to have that association.
I think if you're looking for a slogan it's got to be along the lines of "Outdoor reared, Scottish Pedigree Pork" or even "Specially selected outdoor, pedigree, Scottish Pork" but it becomes a bit of a mouthfull  
How does this differ from the CSSA Meat course with QMS - is it purely geared towards attaining the 'status' ? Eg. requirements and form filling. Would it be something that could maybe be included on the day of the existing QMS course ? That would maybe make it easier to organise for QMS ? It would definately make it easier for me to attend   and I'm sure others too.
Worth thinking about ..............
Either way, put my name down  

[robert waddell]

 the qms involvement was started by David     he was due to get inspected both by qms and the sspca last year     the day before the due date all contact was cancelled                 it has taken another year to get them talking and recognising that we have a genuine contribution to make in return for the Levey the take from every pig slaughtered
the Scottish pedigree pork slogan works when it is just that but when it is lop crosses or even kune crosses it does not hold water in a debate
the qms and sspca accreditation only allows an extra stamp on your carcass BUT THAT EXTRA STAMP INCREASSES THE VALUE OF THAT CARCASS
qms are the ones that are big on slogans
now vion are running a campain fronted by jimmy doherty          but that is only vion vion vion o and vion        and jimmy getting a retainer 
HH you will find it is probably two different people that is dealing with two different subjects and that is why it always takes so long to arrange any progress
hughesy  the bpa rescourses you will need to tell more                obviously the taste of the end product and the conditions and welfare that is open to inspection by customers is wanting in some detail
ps the outlet David had for his pigs and still has      the extra stamp was requested by his customers