Dallas Edinvale farmer and Macbeths Forres butcher speaks on red meat imports
As beef prices surge and the cost-of-living crisis continues to bite, Scotland’s red meat industry finds itself under growing pressure from cheaper imports.
For farmers like Jock Gibson, a third-generation producer from Dallas, the squeeze is coming from all sides.
The 45-year-old runs Edinvale Farm and Macbeth’s Butchers in Forres, a family business his grandparents started in the 1970s and 1980s.
Over the past year, he’s travelled the world on a Nuffield Farming Scholarship, studying how other countries improve the eating quality of beef.
He said: “The scale we’re working at in the UK makes it difficult.
“My farm is 600 acres, in the US, a small farm might be 6,000. That difference gives them huge advantages in cost and efficiency.”
As a result, imported beef has become a competitive force, especially as UK prices remain some of the highest in the world, rivalled only by the United States, where a shortage has driven costs up.
The dad-of-three explained: “People aren’t necessarily looking for foreign meat, but they’re buying it because it’s more affordable.
“The truth is, some overseas producers have been forced to modernise and stay competitive in a global market, while in the UK, our industry hasn’t moved much in 20 years.”
Despite this, home-grown beef still enjoys remarkable support from Scottish consumers.
According to recent research commissioned by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), nearly three-quarters of Scots actively seek out Scottish red meat, and over 80% oppose the purchasing of imported alternatives.
Most strikingly, 90% of those surveyed said they would still choose local beef, lamb or pork, even if imported meat were 30% cheaper.
He continued: “Those figures show that people do care about what they’re buying, but caring doesn’t always mean being able to afford it.
“We’re lucky to have loyal customers both locally and across the UK, where we ship our products to, but that doesn’t mean everyone can afford it.”
At the same time, the volume of imports continues to rise.
QMS has reported that non-EU red meat imports surged by 55% in early 2025 compared to the same period last year, now making up almost 10% of all red meat imports.
Supermarket data also shows a 6% increase in imported red meat products on shelves.
Jock said: “Imports aren’t the biggest threat to us right now.
“The real issue is internal, our supply chains are weak and small abattoirs are hard to operate.
“Exported red meat is a threat too, but it is those other things that are hurting Scottish producers the most.”
As both a farmer and a butcher, Jock experiences these pressures from both ends of the supply chain.
While the shortage of beef has allowed him to sell his own products at strong prices, sourcing other red meat to sell at his butchers has become increasingly expensive.
“It’s a double-edged sword,” he admits. “As a producer, higher prices are great. But as a butcher, buying stock has become a huge challenge.”
Despite the difficulties, Jock remains optimistic about Scotch beef’s future, so long as the sector adapts.
“Scotch beef has commanded premium prices for hundreds of years, and that’s down to quality. In countries like Australia, only about 40% of farmers use growth hormones because they know it harms their product. That tells you there’s still demand for high standards.”
But he also recognises the importance of giving consumers a choice.
“Red meat is a vital part of the diet, and not everyone can afford premium beef every week. If importing some meat gives people affordable options, then so be it.”
