NIFQA: Your independent guarantee of quality and traceability from a local farm to your fork

Whether it’s a centrepiece lamb leg roast with all the trimmings or a colourful curry with friends, lamb is a versatile, tasty and affordable red meat that is packed full of nutrients and is surprisingly easy to cook.

When it comes to the food we eat, as consumers we rightly demand the highest quality products. The Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) knows just how important it is to have full confidence in food production credentials, and to know exactly where our food comes from. That’s why NIFQA beef and lamb is fully traceable from farm to fork.

In Northern Ireland over 11,500 beef and sheep farmers are committed to upholding world leading farming and food safety standards. These farmers are voluntary members of the Northern Ireland Beef and Lamb Farm Quality Assurance Scheme and meet 77 verifiable product standards for food safety, animal welfare and care for the environment. NIFQA farmers undergo routine independent inspections to ensure compliance with the Scheme standards with certified producers then permitted to use the NIFQA logo to market their produce.

In addition to meeting some of the world’s highest quality standards NIFQA beef and lamb also boasts top quality flavour and offers an impressive nutritional profile. Beef and lamb are packed full of essential vitamins and minerals and when enjoyed as part of a healthy balanced diet they provide protein, B-vitamins, zinc, potassium, phosphorus and iron, all of which are essential for human growth and development.

The next time you go shopping be sure to look out for the NIFQA logo or ask if the beef or lamb is Northern Ireland Farm Quality Assured. Many outlets proudly stamp the logo on their labelling for NIFQA beef and lamb products and this is your independent guarantee of quality and traceability from a local farm to your fork.

As well as ensuring beef and lamb is responsibly produced, LMC wants to ensure that everyone knows our favourite hints and tips on how to prepare, cook and enjoy it. We have a host of beef and lamb recipes which are available on our website.