Our Farming Integrity and Sustainability Central to Boosting Wales’ Red Meat Global Branding

Rural Enterprise , 31st July 2023

Written by:

Catherine Smith
Chair
HCC (Hybu Cig Cymru / Meat Promotion Wales)

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Exciting plans to boost the international branding of Wales’ sustainable red meat products were unveiled by HCC Chair Catherine Smith at the Royal Welsh Show last week.

Explaining that HCC continues to operate in a crowded consumer marketplace, where red meat products are “surrounded by confusing claims and counter claims and where our honesty is heckled by misinformed or misguided activists,” she declared:

“This has to stop: it’s time to put some clear, transparent water between ourselves and the intensive farming practices of some global competitors.”

Catherine Smith was speaking to Wales’ leading industry representatives at the annual HCC breakfast event at the Royal Welsh Agricultural Show at Llanelwedd today. She advocated a collective industry commitment to further build on the tireless efforts of Wales’ fantastic farmers, saying that HCC was meticulously building clear and compelling evidence to fully substantiate all assertions that the production of Welsh Lamb and Welsh Beef was a global exemplar.

“We can show the world that Welsh food and farming is not just what we do – it’s who we are,” she said.

When speaking about priorities and plans to build on its evidence base, she referred to HCC’s Red Meat Development Programme which is nearing completion after five years of tireless activity and ongoing industry engagement. Upcoming projects include a new multi-platform, multi-media campaign to promote Welsh Lamb and an ambitious Red Meat Roadmap, currently in development.

“So, let’s form a new social contract with domestic and international consumers to allow the promotion of our Welsh red meat brands with honesty, transparency and integrity,” she said. “From now, sustainability will be the watchword for everything that HCC does. Along with the other core pillars of taste and nutrition, sustainability will be central to maintaining success and ensure a future in red meat production for the next generation,” Catherine Smith said.

Ysgrifennwyd gan:

Catherine Smith
Chair
HCC (Hybu Cig Cymru / Meat Promotion Wales)

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Datgelwyd cynlluniau cyffrous i hybu brand rhyngwladol cynnyrch cig coch cynaliadwy Cymru gan Gadeirydd Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC) yn Sioe Frenhinol Cymru heddiw.

Gan egluro bod HCC yn parhau i weithredu mewn marchnad brysur a llawn, lle mae cynnyrch cig wedi’i “amgylchynu gan honiadau dryslyd, a’n gonestrwydd yn cael ei dargedu gan actifyddion â’u gwybodaeth gamarweiniol,” meddai:

“Mae’n rhaid i hyn stopio: mae’n amser i bawb ddeall y gwahaniaeth rhyngom ni a’r dulliau ffermio dwys mewn rhai gwledydd tramor.”

Roedd Catherine Smith yn annerch cynrychiolwyr allweddol o’r diwydiant ym mrecwast blynyddol HCC yn Sioe Frenhinol Cymru yn Llanelwedd heddiw. Cyfeiriodd at ymrwymiad y diwydiant i barhau i gynnal ymdrechion diflino ffermwyr gwych Cymru, gan ddweud bod HCC wrthi’n ofalus yn casglu tystiolaeth glir a chryf i fedru atgyfnerthu pob honiad bod y ffordd y caiff Cig Oen Cymru a Chig Eidion Cymru eu cynhyrchu yn un i’w efelychu.

“Gallwn ddangos i’r byd nad dim ond beth a wnawn yw ffermio a bwyd Cymru - ond mae o’n rhan greiddiol ohonom ni,” meddai.

Wrth siarad am flaenoriaethau a chynlluniau i ddatblygu’r dystiolaeth ymhellach, cyfeiriodd at y Cynllun Datblygu Cig Coch sy’n nesáu at ei derfyn ar ôl pum mlynedd o weithgarwch prysur ac ymgysylltiad parhaus gyda’r diwydiant. Mae’r prosiectau sydd ar y gweill yn cynnwys ymgyrch aml-blatfform, aml-gyfrwng i hyrwyddo Cig Oen Cymru a chynllun mapio cig coch uchelgeisiol.

“Felly, beth am greu cytundeb cymdeithasol newydd gyda defnyddwyr domestig a rhyngwladol i’n galluogi ni i hyrwyddo brandiau cig coch Cymru gyda gonestrwydd, tryloywder ac eglurder,” meddai. “O hyn ymlaen, bydd cynaliadwyedd yn ganolog i bopeth a wneir gan HCC. Ynghyd â blas a maeth, bydd cynaliadwyedd yn holl bwysig i gynnal llwyddiant a sicrhau dyfodol mewn cynhyrchu cig coch i’r genhedlaeth nesaf,” meddai Catherine Smith.