Isle of Man Meats is to introduce a quality mark in celebration of the high standard of Manx-reared meat.

The ‘Premium Select Farms’ mark will be awarded to the finest quality beef, pork and lamb from Manx producers.

The mark will tell customers that the meat is the highest grade processed at the Meat Plant.

Labels will carry the name of the farm of origin and Isle of Man Meats’ website will, from next March, contain more information about the farm and the ‘story’ behind the product.

The quality mark was launched on Wednesday evening when Isle of Man Meats hosted its annual Meat Quality Awards, supported by Shoprite and the Isle of Man Bank.

Michael Owen, Chief Executive Officer of Isle of Man Meats, said: ‘These awards are all about letting consumers know about the high quality Manx farmers produce.

‘We are very, very proud of what we produce locally.

‘The awards show the supreme quality of cattle, sheep and pigs we have on the Isle of Man. We see this from the high quality of the animals that come through the plant. Most of what we produce is the finest you will find anywhere.’

He added: ‘The best quality meats ensure the best eating experience.’

Mr Owen said more traditional methods of farming and the shorter journey from the farm to the Meat Plant contribute to the quality of Isle of Man meat.

Traceability, provenance and supporting local farms are becoming more and more important to the customer.

Mr Owen said: ‘We are firmly focused on quality and promoting farmers who produce meat on the Island to such a high quality.

‘It’s a team effort – from farmers producing high-quality livestock to retailers recognising and promoting quality Manx meats.’

The launch of the quality mark was welcomed by the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, which this week gained Tynwald’s unanimous approval for a major strategy to grow the Isle of Man food and drink industry by ?50 million over the next decade.

Dr Peter McEvoy, Director of Agriculture with DEFA, said: ‘The meat sector is a key component in our strategy to grow the food economy. We know that the Isle of Man is capable of producing meat of the highest quality, but the challenge is getting access to the right markets and getting the branding and marketing right to ensure that we can adequately reflect this provenance and quality.

‘The Meat Quality Awards recognise this quality and provide a benchmark for other producers to aspire to. Retailers play a key role in ensuring that local meat is the preferred choice of consumers and I am delighted that Shoprite are involved in this event and committed to supporting local produce.’

John Speakman, Shoprite’s Senior Buyer, commented: ‘Shoprite are pleased to continue our support of the annual Meat Quality Awards as they reflect the high standard and consistency of livestock produced by the Islands leading producers. This ensures that in our support for the local meat market, we are able to supply our customers with the finest quality Manx beef, pork and lamb.

‘We will continue to work with the Meat Plant and the producers to ensure the long term availability of the highest-quality Manx-produced meat in our stores’ butchery outlets.’

At Wednesday’s gathering at Agriculture House, the supermarket and the Isle of Man Bank presented trophies and prizes to the farmers whose meat was consistently graded the highest throughout the whole of last year.

Winners received a trophy sponsored by the Isle of Man Bank and ?100 from Shoprite, while runners-up received ?60 from the bank.

Results were:

Farmers with more than 80 cattle: 1, Baljean Farm Ltd; 2, J. B. Radcliffe; between 20 and 80 cattle: 1, S. M. Kneale; 2 R & G Barker; More than 500 sheep: 1, Lynwill Farms Ltd; 2, Lough Dhoo Farms Ltd; between 200 and 500 sheep: 1, A. G. Martin; 2, D. H. Brew; between 50 and 200 sheep: 1, A. G. Rothwell; 2, J. F. Moore; More than 300 pigs: 1, S. F. Dean.

The Meat Plant processes meat from 230 Manx farmers, producing 30 tonnes of beef, 25 tonnes of lamb and eight tonnes of pork a week. Around half the beef, 20% of the lamb and all the pork is sold locally.

Photo - The winners and sponsors.  Courtesy of Steve Babb Photography.