Pupils from across Northern Ireland have been celebrating success in this year’s Meat4Schools competition which aims to raise awareness of the Northern Ireland Farm Quality Assurance Scheme (NIFQA) and inspire young people to cook confidently with local, traceable meat.

Organised by the Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) and proudly supported by ABP, a host of schools entered the annual Meat4Schools competition which challenges post-primary pupils to showcase their knowledge of NIFQA beef and lamb through creative and engaging video submissions.

Winners this year included Forthill Integrated College, Clounagh Junior High School, and Royal School Dungannon. As part of their prize, pupils enjoyed an educational trip to the CAFRE Loughry Campus taking part in an exciting LMC cookery session, a sensory analysis workshop, and received hampers packed with NIFQA beef and lamb supplied by ABP.

Head of Marketing and Communications at LMC, Lauren Patterson, praised the enthusiasm and creativity shown by all participants, “It is inspiring to see so many young people getting hands-on with cooking and learning more about the quality and versatility of our local beef and lamb. The passion and teamwork shown by pupils across Northern Ireland has been outstanding.”

Runners-up, Sperrin Integrated College, St Patrick’s High School, Keady, and Lisnagarvey High School, also received a meat package in recognition of their outstanding entries.

Lauren added, “We are delighted to continue working closely with schools and teachers to promote NIFQA beef and lamb and support its role in the GCSE and GCE curriculum. We will continue to support the inclusion of beef and lamb in practical cookery lessons, with the aim of improving access for as many schools as possible. Our sincere thanks go to ABP for their continued support and generosity in helping to make this experience possible.”

Hugh McGahan, Retailer Support Manager NI at ABP commented on the initiative, “ABP believes in investing in food education. The Meat4Schools competition aligns with our commitment to informing young people about beef quality, provenance and nutrition. It sits alongside our ABP Angus Youth Challenge competition for teenagers in Yr 11 and our support for third level bursaries in food science and sustainable agriculture.”

Sarah Black, Clounagh Junior High School reflected on the competition “Clounagh pupils enjoyed a fantastic educational trip to Loughry thanks to the LMC meat4schools competition.  The memorable day included a hands-on, chef-style cooking session led by an LMC demonstrator, and a fun, interactive sensory session comparing beef and plant-based burgers which the pupils particularly enjoyed.’

Hilary Fegan, Fort Hill  Integrated College said "Our year 9 pupils in Fort Hill Integrated College were delighted to take part in this year's Meat4Schools competition. Pupils were so excited to visit Loughry as winners of this year's competition. The day was well-structured, educational, and fun, providing a memorable experience for all. We appreciate the effort and care that was put into making the trip so successful and for the very generous meat donation for our school and pupils."

Alison Donaghy, Royal School Dungannon added “The trip to Loughry provided by LMC was an exceptional and enriching experience for pupils. The day commenced with an engaging sensory analysis workshop, where pupils compared traditional beef burgers with plant-based alternatives. This session offered valuable insight into the science of food tasting and provided a unique opportunity to sample products they might not usually encounter. Following this, we embarked on an informative campus tour, gaining an in-depth understanding of the impressive facilities and the large-scale processes involved in modern food production. The undisputed highlight for the pupils, however, was the hands-on experience of crafting their own smash burgers — which they proudly enjoyed for lunch.”

Since its introduction in 2019, Meat4Schools has grown into an integral part of LMC’s education programme, complementing classroom resources and recipe booklets that support food and nutrition studies. Together, these initiatives help pupils develop essential cooking skills, understand the importance of our agri-food industry and recognise the value of choosing NIFQA beef and lamb as part of a balanced diet.