S O C I E TY
Beef Shorthorn is fit for a King! King Charles III heard about Morrisons’ Shorthorn beef scheme during visit to the retailer's HQ.
T
he King marked the start of a two-day trip to Yorkshire with a visit to Hilmore House, Morrisons’ head office in November. His Majesty met frontline staff from a wide range of departments and he heard about initiatives Morrisons is supporting in areas such as farming, communities, sustainability and support for The Prince’s Countryside Fund. He also toured the development kitchen at Morrisons, examining special dishes prepared by chefs Mark Richmond and Richard Jones. This included pan-roasted Shorthorn beef, telling Morrisons’ brand director Gail Paddy, "This smells irresistible!" Jodie Bolland (pictured), Head of Livestock and Sales for Woodhead Bros was among the members of staff introduced to the King, she commented: “As a sourcing team we spoke about our farming credentials and how we support the British farming industry by making sure they have a future. Discussing our next generation programme, our best collection of meat ranges including our Beef Shorthorn range, we also showcased our Elite Beef Scheme and our work making a more sustainable supply chain.
30
“King Charles was very interested in our working partnership with the Beef Shorthorn Society and asked questions about how we grow availability. He was also pleased to meet Matthew Roberts, one of our Elite Beef Farmers, who has been trialling Shorthorn genetics bred through our integrated dairy scheme, utilising a forage based system to reduce the carbon footprint in our supply chain.”
B eef Shorthorn C attl e S oc i ety J o ur n al 2 0 2 3
The King is no stranger to Beef Shorthorns, having requested the introduction of Shorthorns to Sandringham Estate in 2021, with plans to build up to a 500-strong suckler herd. The breed is an ideal fit with the estate’s commitment to conservation management and while the King’s Shorthorns will be housed for calving and finishing, they’ll be grass fed outside for the remainder of the time.
