FARMING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE (November - December Issue 2023) by Athole Design & Publishing Ltd

Proud to support Scottish farming, and agriculture throughout the five nations

Tuathanachas Alba

magazine

Articles Agricultural & Communities (Scotland) Bill UK’s best butcher shop acknowledges Scottish farmers

AgriScot 2023 Preview ATV’s Diet Feeders Look ahead to Lamma ‘24

GFD on decarbonising Scottish farming

In Focus No. 2 Merlo celebrates 30 years

Farmhouse Kitchen Pan fried mutton loin with savoury greens

In Focus No. 1 Innovators behind innovation

Repairing Machinery Travel Scotland Bo’ness and Blackness

£3.75

plus

December 2023

Ffermio Cymru • The Northern Isles Beatha an Eilean • Women in Agriculture Flavour of Scotland • Food & Drink including our regular news areas and columns

contents

December 2023

Features

Ffermio Cymru

19 31

36 42

ATV’s Look ahead to Lamma 2024 Diet Feeders AgriScot 2023 Preview

‘Innovators behind innovation’ Merlo celebrates 30 years

Bo’ness and Blackness

102 With Jake Swindells

Northern Isles 104 Stories from Orkney and Shetland

Articles 30

Travel Scotland Scottish Country Life

In Focus 28

Welsh Farming News

Agricultural & Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill UK’s best butcher shop acknowledges Scottish farmers Repairing machinery GFD on decarbonising Scottish farming

Book Serialisation

Flavour of Scotland

Farmhouse Kitchen

34 66 72

Kids tucking in!

World Farming 18

EU u-turn on caged chickens

Beatha an Eilean 68

Life on the Islands

All Editorial & PR enquiries EDITOR Athole Murray Fleming Tel. 01738 639747 E-mail: mail@farmingscotlandmagazine.com

106 Final part “Regeneration”, The rescue of a wild land

Women in Agriculture 108 Roundup of the year

128 Pan Fried Mutton Loin with savoury greens

News Areas 6 15 24 26

Arable & Root Crops Food & Drink Environment Renewable Energy

All Advertising & Editorial enquiries ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Athole Murray Fleming Tel. 01738 639747 E-mail: mail@farmingscotlandmagazine.com

71 27 74 76 84 87 92 94 96 110 111 112 115

Science & Technology Beef Livestock Dairy Sheep People Forestry Estate Horses Aquaculture Finance Machinery

Columns 6 10 16 17 25 29 70 71 75 83 85 88 89 95 99

Editor’s Bit R.S.A.B.I Scotland the Brand James Hutton Institute Farming for the Climate Scottish Government Aberystwyth University Welsh Government Quality Meat Scotland The Vet NFU Scotland Crofting NSA Scotland Scottish Forestry Conservation Matters

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Christina Fleming Email: christina@atholedesign.com

91 101 103 109 130 130

Scottish Land & Estates Farm Advisory Service Southern Belle People on the Move Book Preview

Subscriptions

127 Order your copy here.

Next Issue Out in January. Featuring: Tractors for 2024, Slurry Management, Tyres, Renewable Energy, Trailers, Cultivation Equipment etc. See our website for details. www.farmingscotlandmagazine. com

Advertising & Editorial Enquiries Call 01738 639747 or email mail@farmingscotlandmagazine.com

COVER IMAGE: Carbon Capture

ADVERTISING MANAGER Barry Tweed Tel. 01475 910153 Email: barry@farmingscotlandmagazine.com

COPYRIGHT This publication has been produced and published by ATHOLE DESIGN & PUBLISHING LTD who are the copyright owners. No reproduction, copying, image scanning, storing or recording of any part of this publication without the permission of ATHOLE DESIGN & PUBLISHING LTD. Contents disclaimer: FARMING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE is not responsible for any factual inaccuracies within press information supplied to us. Any concerns regarding such matters should be directed to the supplier of the materials. FARMING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE is designed, produced and published by Athole Design & Publishing Ltd., Tolastadh, 18 Corsie Drive, Kinnoull, Perth, Scotland PH2 7BU. Tel. 01738 639747 est 1994

ISSN: 2041–918X

©ATHOLE DESIGN 2023

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arable & root crops editor's bit

Give crops the best start this season with foliar nutrition

Lab meat? – No thanks I like my vegetables, I just don’t fancy them pretending to be burgers all that much. Having said that, I do quite like chick pea type recipes for burgers, so I guess I am a little confused! What I am not confused about is the Laboratory meats that might be regular visitors to our shelves. Well, they can stay there as far as I am concerned. I want my food real, local, and prepared by chefs not geeky scientists who add all manner of chemicals to fake something that should not exist. I recently bought two branded plant based burgers, and some will no doubt enjoy the dry burnt sesame seed flavour, if that counts as a flavour? At least I gave it a go – lesson learned, they were ‘Yuk’ – (Typical meat eater comment!) With almost 40 ingredients going into a ‘simple’ burger, do I really want to digest all these elements? Not for me! Don’t even get me started on Vegan Butchers – I only have this little column to rant like a madman. Keep our meat fresh and local, keep our veg fresh and local – and all of our diets will improve in a healthy and natural way…naturally! I feel another rant coming on….anyway, later that night we had real mince & tatties. ‘Yum’. Slàinte, Athole.

Most growers would describe this year’s harvest as a mixed bag. Wet weather in March and April followed by a very dry spell from the end of May into June impacted crop yield and quality, particularly for spring cereals. And if that wasn’t challenging enough, some oilseed rape crops were hit very hard by flea beetle and rape winter stem weevil larvae attacks. So how can growers give crops the best possible start this season? Phil Burrell, Yara’s head of Crop Nutrition Services, discusses how foliar nutrition is the key to flourishing crops as we head into autumn and winter. “This harvest has definitely been a mixed bag,” says Phil. “Something that really stood out was the big difference between the spring barley crops that were drilled in

good conditions in February and those that were drilled in April when it was very wet. The yields were nowhere near comparable.” One crop that particularly suffered in 2023 was oilseed rape, something that Phil experienced first-hand. “Even the good crops were well below long-term average yields,” says Phil. “They didn’t like the very wet spell followed by the hot dry spell. Then some of the crops were hit very hard with larvae infestation. Also, I experienced one field we were entering into the YEN project was hit by a hailstorm five days before harvest and we lost 80% of the yield.” Nurturing oilseed rape crops with foliar nutrition Growers and agronomists up and down the country are having similar experiences with oil seed rape.

“From conversations I’m having about oilseed rape, there are two very distinct crops,” says Phil. “Those that were drilled very early after winter barley that look like Brussels sprout plants, and those that were drilled towards the end of August. The latter crops are either struggling or they’re already gone.” The situation creates a dilemma for growers; should they persevere, or rip them out and start again? “I’d say growers have to be realistic,” says Phil. “If you’ve got a crop that’s still struggling around that 1 to 2 true leaf stage and getting hammered by adult flea beetle, that’s not the end of the threat to those crops. Slugs are a threat when there’s a lot of rain, then the larvae are an issue, and then you’ve got the pigeons. The first loss is your least loss, so it might be time to make the decision to start again.”

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arable & root crops Silicon improved wheat reduces slug damage

A recent study by i2L has shown that applying Sirius, a silicon biostimulant, boosts the natural level of silicon in wheat seed and strengthens the plant. Planting this silicon enhanced farm saved seed has also shown that the following seedlings are stronger and more resilient to attack. “Through a series of trials, Orion FT has demonstrated that applying Sirius can improve plant health and quality. Silicon is a natural element which plants actively take up to help improve cell strength, cell adhesion, and increase cuticle thickness, all of which improve plant health, making crops more resilient to pests such as slugs,” explains Orion FT managing director James Kennedy.

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arable & root crops Previous trials using silicon to strengthen OSR showed a reduction in cabbage stem flea beetle, whilst a similar study showed aphid reduction in sugar beet when silicon levels were increased. “Silicon improves plant resilience to environmental stress

and the trial data showed that plants treated with Sirius also accumulated more silicon in seed. The resulting increase of silicon in the seed translates to more silicon in the crop grown from that seed. This is a major breakthrough and will offer a new benefit for those using Sirius,” he adds.

“We recommend applying Sirius at a rate of half a litre per hectare, at an approximate cost of £20 per application. To benefit in the early autumn, apply soon after crop emergence at growth stage 11-13, follow up applications can be beneficial. Sirius does not alter the pH of a solution, so it is

easy to tank mix, which eliminates the necessity for multiple spray passes,” he concludes.

FARMING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE Next issue out January 2024

Your Farm’s Water Supply: Not Just Next Summer’s Problem As Winter arrives and brings along its friend the rain, droughts and demand on the water supply become a distant memory. But actually – this is exactly when it should be at the forefront of your mind… It’s not news to any farmer that copious amounts of water are needed to irrigate crops, wash down livestock containers, clean equipment and feed animals. It’s for that reason why many opt for a private borehole water supply to give them free

access to up to 20,000 litres per day. As well as the significant cost savings and the value this can add to your land, a private installation often provides greater pressure than the mains supply in rural areas. I hear you ask: Why is this relevant now when I use so much more water in Summer? When the sun shines and the land dries up, all agricultural and horticultural businesses begin thinking about their increasing demand for water for

irrigation. Beat the summer rush and make sure your installation is ready for spring, rather than waiting in line behind others needing a new borehole drilled or their existing borehole pumps replaced. The next reason is specific to the job at hand - Winter is the ideal drilling season. With the ground much harder during the colder months, it makes drilling a less muddy job meaning less track marks from equipment and clean-up a much smaller task!

So, with shorter daylight hours and the growing season over for most crops, we are heading towards the period where it’s finally time for farm maintenance. Prepare now so that you’re ready to benefit from a more consistent and cheaper water supply next Spring/ Summer. For borehole and submersible well pumps, contact the experts at Whisper Pumps on 01777 871100.

Multiple herbicide actives and favourable weather required to outfox resistant ryegrass Despite increasing concerns regarding the spread of herbicide-resistant ryegrass, effective control can still be

achieved where a stacked and sequenced programme of herbicides is applied accurately and in favourable conditions.

That’s according to ProCam’s Rob Adamson, who explains that success is reliant on a careful balance of cultural controls, correct

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herbicide choice and timing, and adequate soil moisture. “Effective levels of ryegrass control have become harder to

arable & root crops achieve since the first herbicideresistant strains of Italian ryegrass were detected in the UK in 1990,” Mr Adamson explains. “Since then, growers have been facing an uphill struggle, with an increasingly diminished toolbox of effective herbicides, the efficacy of which is extremely condition dependant. “For example, last year’s warm and dry conditions, paired with a migration back towards early drilling, meant many preemergence treatments ran out of steam and were ineffective against later germinating seeds. Across the country, we saw worrying levels of ryegrass because of a lack of soil moisture which prevented herbicides from working as they should. This is a perfect storm in areas worst affected by resistant ryegrass such as Essex and South Yorkshire.” Even in a good year ryegrass can still be tricky to control, not only because resistant strains are becoming increasingly common, but also because ryegrass produces a huge number of highly dormant seeds which germinate continuously throughout the year. “But there is hope,” Rob explains, “with ProCam trials showing that even high populations of ryegrass with tough resistance profiles can be managed successfully in winter wheat.” The trials, which purposely targeted the challenging ryegrass populations of Essex and South Yorkshire (to determine how various herbicide stacks

perform under the worst pressure possible), confirmed that control

is achievable, but also reinforced the importance of herbicide

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stacks and the use of a diversity of herbicide modes of action.

Drilling practices favoured RSABI kicks off Farming Festivities with Christmas Card Launch Early signs of winter have appeared at Dumfries House thanks to the arrival of some festive bale art to celebrate the start of RSABI’s Christmas fundraising campaign. The first of its 2023 Christmas fundraising initiatives, Scottish agricultural charity RSABI has launched a collection of farming themed greetings cards, now available to purchase through its online shop at https://shop.rsabi.org.uk, for a cost of £5 for a pack of 10. Income raised from the card sales will provide RSABI with vital funds to continue the important work it does to provides financial, practical, and emotional support to people involved in Scottish agriculture. Pauline Macmillan, Head of Fundraising at RSABI, highlighted the importance of supporting the charity’s services this winter. “The run up to Christmas is a very important time for fundraising for RSABI. As a charity, we rely on the kind donations of our supporters, and income from initiatives like our Christmas card sales allows us to continue providing essential services to those in the farming community who may be struggling.

“Our thanks also go out to the team at Dumfries House for providing us with the bales and space to create our winter bale art to help launch our festive fundraising campaign. Our Christmas card launch is the first in a series of festive initiatives launching in the coming weeks.” The charity is also calling for people looking to get ahead with gifting this Christmas to consider the gift of an RSABI Supporter Scheme membership, which will include a free #KeepTalking beanie hat worth £10. Along with a hat to keep heads cosy this winter, recipients will have the warm glow of knowing a

donation made in their name is directly supporting the charity’s important work. To help spread the message of its #KeepTalking campaign to encourage farmers and crofters to stay connected and check in on friends, neighbours, relatives and others in their community who might be feeling isolated, RSABI hopes to see farmers across the country wearing its #KeepTalking themed beanies this winter.

RSABI offers free practical, financial, and emotional support including counselling services, delivered quickly after receiving the initial enquiry. Its free confidential support service is available 24 hours a day, every day of the year, by calling 0808 1234 555 (calls won’t show up on phone bills) or through a confidential webchat service, available on RSABI’s website www.rsabi.org.uk.

A survey of UK farmers, contractors and agronomists has shown resilience among oilseed rape growers, as risk management strategies continue to evolve. Growers have indicated a preference for longer rotations and a stronger focus on either early drilling, or a flexible approach which prioritises sowing seeds into moist soils wherever possible. Corteva Agriscience’s survey received 250 replies and revealed that companion cropping is continuing to gain popularity, with nearly 50% of farms surveyed using the technique. Buckwheat and berseem clover were highlighted as the most popular companion cropping options. “Unsurprisingly, the most popular reason given for why farmers grow oilseed rape was its function as a break crop – 74% of respondents told us this,” says Clare Stapley, oilseed rape herbicides category marketing manager at Corteva. “This shows that oilseed rape is still an integral part of rotations, but we know that it’s not without its risks and challenges. The information gathered in this year’s survey has helped to shine a light on

arable & root crops how growers are going about successfully establishing and protecting crops.” Most growers plan to drill in August, with fewer than 20% opting for July or September. But rotations including the crop are generally becoming longer – 68% of growers leave a gap of at least five years.

Flexibility on drilling is the number one measure farmers said they were using in the battle against pests such as cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB), with options including drilling early, late and/or adopting a no-till approach. Of those surveyed, 70% said min-till or no-till is their preferred approach.

New certification model introduced to streamline audits for Scotland’s crop growers

As part of its bid to increase the integrity of its assurance scheme, Scottish Quality Crops (SQC) is moving from an annual scheme to a product certification model. This

means that audits can take place throughout the year and grain passports can be issued earlier in the year to relieve the pressure of receiving these in time for harvest.

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arable & root crops Teresa Dougall, Managing Director of SQC, explains: “We have been listening to SQC members’ concerns around the issue of receiving passports in time for harvest. Under the current annual scheme model, growers must be audited between 1 October and prior to harvest and successfully complete the certification process in this time to gain assurance. Only at this stage can passports currently be issued. With the move to product certification, we can provide rolling certification over 12 months meaning that passports can be issued earlier in the season and before harvest starts. “It will allow assessments to be more evenly spread across the scheme year providing our certification body, FIA, and their assessors with more time to allocate audits and complete the certification process. It also brings SQC in line with other assurance schemes, making it easier for joint audits to take place where applicable.”

The new product certification model will start on 1 October 2023 in line with the new scheme year and distribution of membership renewals. Ms Dougall says there is no need for growers to take any different action to previous years: “The move to product certification will still require all growers to have an annual assessment. The biggest change is that audits may take place at a different time of year and will not necessarily be at the same time every year. We are very pleased to be making this transition which will also add integrity to the SQC scheme by allowing for improved monitoring of production across the full scheme year.” Buyers can continue to use the member checker to confirm that the grain is from an approved site. SQC have also confirmed that they will be working to improve the efficiency of their member checker next year. This builds on SQC’s appointment of FIA last year to help growers benefit from

joint audits, where possible, across four assurance schemes – Scottish Quality Crops, Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), Wildlife Estates Scotland and most recently, LEAF. “SQC is a co-operative of agricultural stakeholders, run

by farmers for farmers. Our priority is to support our growers to access the best markets and, where possible, profit potential through quality assurance, and to make the certification process to achieve this as straight forward as possible.”

John Deere and Yara announce partnership aimed at increasing fertiliser efficiency The ambitious goal of the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy is a 50% reduction in nutrient losses by 2030. With this in their sights, John Deere and Yara have announced a partnership that will help farmers contribute to the transition to a more sustainable food system. Combining Yara’s agronomic expertise and John Deere’s precision technology and advanced machinery, the new partnership will help farmers increase yields and optimise their use of fertilisers. The way to more efficient, sustainable farming is having access to high-quality data so farmers can make better decisions and take action. This is where the John Deere/ Yara collaboration comes in. Thanks to advanced connectivity between the John Deere Operations CenterTM and Yara’s Atfarm digital platform, farmers will be able to get tailored crop nutrition recommendations rooted in agronomic precision, so they know that their crops are getting the right amount of nutrients where and when they are needed. The Atfarm platform uses Yara’s powerful N-sensor algorithm and satellite technology, which enables farmers to monitor crop growth and nitrogen uptake in their fields throughout the season. The algorithm looks for growth differences and creates variable rate application maps for N-fertilisation that farmers can access.

This data can now be shared seamlessly and securely with the John Deere Operations CenterTM as a Workplan. Farmers can add field and crop information, and wirelessly synchronise their Workplan and recommendations to any machine which has a John Deere Gen4 or G5 Display. Interpreting variable rate maps is often perceived as being complicated, but the John Deere/ Yara collaboration removes the complexity, and helps farmers improve the productivity of their fields. Field trials have shown that through Yara’s expert agronomic advice, farmers can achieve up to seven percent yield increase and save up to 14 percent Nitrogen due to optimised fertiliser use. The new connectivity is set to be piloted to a group of farmers in the UK, Germany, and France from spring 2024. As well as this new collaboration, Yara and John Deere will continue to work together on further opportunities to improve nutrient use efficiency for farmers. “Achieving the Farm to Fork Strategy’s goal of reducing nutrient losses by 50% by 2030 requires the industry to work together,” says James Craske, VP Digital Solutions Europe at Yara International. “Through partnering with John Deere, UK farmers will be able to use our recommendations in an easy, practical way. This contributes to more sustainable food production without adding complexity for farmers.”

FLAVOUR OF SCOTLAND

Thousands of pupils tucking in thanks to Tasty QMS initiative

Quality Meat Scotland’s (QMS) ‘Tasty Little Weeks’ initiative is back, with schools receiving £180 worth of vouchers to spend with their local Scotch-assured butchers, as well as a bank of resources packed with ideas and tools to inspire children and teachers. In 2022, 320 secondary schools were involved in the initiative. Covering every local authority across Scotland, it gave students an opportunity to learn and experience some of the country’s finest produce in new and innovative ways. So far, 315 schools have signed up to this year’s initiative and received their vouchers last month. 14

“The vouchers, combined with our recipes, lesson plans and worksheets, gives educators nearly everything they need for the three ‘Tasty Little Weeks’,” explained Alix Richie, QMS’s Health and Education Manager. “At a time when young people have a wide variety of influences, it’s important that we discuss the nutritional, environmental and societal benefits of locally sourced red meat, and the meat voucher scheme combined with the Tasty Little Weeks are the perfect platform on which to have those conversations.” The initiative aims to spotlight the exceptional quality and versatility of Scotch meat

brands. Specially Selected Pork kicked off this year’s programme in September, Scotch Lamb will take centre stage from 27 November, to coincide with the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers Scotland (IAAS)’ Lamb for St Andrew’s Day, and Scotch Beef will take its turn the week starting 5 February 2024. “Red meat is a nutrient and energy rich product,” said Alix. “It’s a great source of iron, zinc and vitamin B12 as well as protein. All of which are important for healthy growth and development, as part of a balanced diet.” Home economics departments will have the opportunity to

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claim vouchers worth up to £180, which can be redeemed at their local Scotch Butcher Club member. “Through this initiative we hope to give more school children the opportunity to taste the various sustainably produced red meats that Scotland is renowned for, while simultaneously teaching them valuable lifelong skills and knowledge. “Our comprehensive resources cover a spectrum of topics, ranging from the world-leading animal welfare standards adhered to in our farming practices, to the sustainable attributes of Scottish red meat, and how it harmoniously fits within a healthy diet.”

food & drink Aber Falls Distillery sees its Single Malt Welsh Whisky protected Wisgi Cymreig Brag Sengl Distyllfa Aber Falls yn cael ei warchod

Aber Falls Distillery in North Wales has joined the list of Welsh producers awarded UK protected status for their Single Malt Welsh Whisky. Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths visited the company in Abergwyngregyn on Thursday to congratulate the team on gaining the prestigious status. Single Malt Welsh Whisky is one of Wales’ most popular spirits

and secured PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) UK GI status in July. The UK GI scheme was established in 2021, following the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, and ensures certain food and drink products can continue to receive legal protection against imitation and misuse. Aber Falls now joins Penderyn, In the Welsh Wind,

Da Mhile, and Coles on the list of Welsh distilleries which are part of the PGI status. The company released its first whisky in May 2021, with their current whisky being launched in the September of the same year and is now exported to 40 countries. Aber Falls’ new visitor centre opened in May 2021, offering tours and gin lab experiences, as well as having a café and a retail area.

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They have since expanded the distillery in Abergwyngregyn and began 24-hour production in January this year. They also have a bottling hall in Bangor, along with three maturation warehouses in the city. Rural Affairs Minister, Lesley Griffiths said: “It’s been great to visit Aber Falls and congratulate the team on seeing their Single Malt Welsh Whisky protected. 15

food & drink

Scotland The Brand

A Green Future – How Scottish Hemp is Coming to Our Farms By Ruth Watson I took a trip to Barns of Airlie, in Angus, to meet John and Ali Easson, one of 11 hemp farmers in the north-east of Scotland working with The Rowett Institute on a Scottish Government-funded project developing local and sustainable crops to feed both people and livestock. Hemp was once a common and important crop, grown across Scotland for 6,000 years, before being banned in 1928. Now, the crop is making a comeback – under licence by the Home Office. Ali is the powerhouse behind Hemp It Up, the hemp oil and protein powder business set up on the farm. She is passionate about the health benefits and the potential of hemp oil to replace olive oil on our shelves. John, the third generation on this traditional mixed farm, is impressed by the potential of the crop. He feeds the hemp cake to his cattle, who are vocal in their approval as he sprinkles the powder along the trough.

“Hemp makes a great break crop,” John tells me with a smile, as we stand, diminutive figures beside his towering field of hemp. “It’s not all about the product that you’re selling in a tonne bag; it’s the carry over to the following year’s crop, the increase in the yield, and the soil health moving forward. On arable farms you’re sometimes stuck to have a break crop. Wheat seems to be the main staple on a lot of farms and oilseed rape is always seen as a break crop whereas I think that is more of a gamble. There’s always something wanting to eat it or kill it, whereas hemp is quite easy to grow.” As for the climate emergency, hemp is a winner there too, sequestering more CO2 than trees. There is significant potential for this ancient crop to feed our people and livestock with crops grown locally while cutting our climate-busting emissions.

Ruth Watson is the founder of the Keep Scotland the Brand campaign 16

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“Wales’ whisky sector has expanded quickly in recent years and is enjoyed by people around the world. “The PGI status is a prestigious one and I am pleased Aber Falls’ product is receiving the recognition it deserves.” Carole Jones, General Manager of Aber Falls Distillery, said: “It has been a pleasure to welcome the Minister and share our progress as a business. The team have worked hard over the

past few months, in order for us to gain PGI status. “Our stumbling block was the bottling process, which had been moved to England in 2022 due to issues finding staff at that time. We pulled out all the stops and re-opened our bottling hall in early September; ticking that final box. “We are now in full swing, with our Single Malt Welsh Whisky being bottled in Bangor for our export and UK markets.”

Aldi Scotland recognised for its commitment to its staff at the Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards 2023 Aldi Scotland has been recognised for its commitment to its employees at the prestigious Scotland Food & Drink Excellence Awards recently. The awards celebrate the country’s food and drink sector, by shining a light on the finest producers and suppliers across Scotland. The Employer of the Year accolade pays homage to a business which demonstrates strong leadership, and a focus on staff training and development, diversity and inclusion, and employee wellbeing.

Aldi Scotland currently employs more than 4,000 staff around the country. Last year, it hired more than 1,300 new recruits. It places an emphasis on staff development, which includes its highly successful apprenticeship programme which has recruited more than 150 new team members this year already. The equal opportunities retailer delivers numerous initiatives to support its employee’s personal and financial wellbeing including regular pay reviews, free healthcare, Bike to Work schemes, and interactive training programmes.

FARMING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE

Next issue out January 2024 Subscription page 127 www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com

food & drink Value tier red meat and dairy sales soar as cost-of-living crisis continues to bite Supermarket private-label value items are performing well in both the red meat and dairy sectors, despite the cost-of-living crisis continuing to restrict overall consumer spend. Products within a specific money saving/value for money supermarket own label range are known as value tier products. These items have performed strongly as trading down continues, as they often represent the cheapest items in supermarkets. Value tier products make up only a small part of red meat and dairy volumes, at 7.7%(Kantar, 52 w/e 06 August) and 2.4% respectively (Nielsen, 52 w/e 12 August 2023). Despite this, value tier volumes have grown massively in both categories, up by 35.6% year-on-year (YoY) for red meat and an impressive 47.9% for dairy over the same period. Mince was high on the list with sales volumes growing by 179.8% YoY, and milk and cheese value products also performed well, with volumes up by 56.3% and 56.7% respectively (Kantar, 52 w/e 06 August).

Tom Price, AHDB Trainee Analyst said: “This YoY growth comes from consumers looking to cut back on spending due to price rises. Price has become more important to consumers, however the data indicates that consumers do not want to fully remove their favourite meat and dairy products from their diet, but instead want to save money by purchasing value tier versions. “By expanding the number of products on offer in the value tier and making sure this offering is tailored towards staples like mince, sausages and cheese, there is an opportunity to further expand retail sales of red meat and dairy. “It’s also important to remember that not all retailers currently offer a value tier range, so expanding tiers in all supermarkets could attract more customers. Adequately advertising these value tier ranges in supermarkets and communicating their in-store location to consumers will then ensure value tier products can be found easily.

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The James Hutton Institute’s International Barley Hub - New research into the ancient cereal crop

Progress is building at the James Hutton Institute’s International Barley Hub (IBH) - a centre of excellence in barley research, innovation and knowledge exchange - where a new research facility is set to be complete early next year. As part of its research, the Institute recently received almost £10,000 from the Scottish Government’s Arctic Connections Fund to investigate shifting growth of barley in the northern Arctic regions. In partnership with the Innovation Centre for Organic Farming (Denmark), and the Agronomy Institute (University of Highlands and Islands, Orkney), the project entitled ‘Raising the Bar’ will investigate recent climate warming and barley’s expansion northwards into the Arctic regions. Despite being grown locally for centuries as animal feed and straw in the region, the project will discuss whether increased temperature leading to a longer growing season will provide new opportunities for producing high value local products across the northern arctic. The institute plans to host a two-day workshop with participants from across the

region representing barley researchers, breeders, industry and rural communities to explore the opportunities and next steps for this unique situation to create a roadmap on Barley’s possible future cultivation in the Arctic. It’s another example of the James Hutton Institute alongside partners using international connections, leading scientific understanding and a trusted voice to offer meaningful insight globally. The International Barley Hub (IBH), along with The Advanced Plant Growth Centre (APGC), is funded by the Tay Cities Region Deal is a partnership between local, Scottish and UK governments and the private, academic and voluntary sectors which seeks to create a smarter and fairer Angus, Dundee, Fife and Perth & Kinross. The Scottish Government and UK Government will each invest up to £150 million in the Tay Cities Region Deal over 10 years, subject to final approval of robust business cases. As part of the Tay Cities Region Deal funding, the IBH was awarded £20m from the UK Government and £15m from the Scottish Government.

The James Hutton Institute is a world-leading scientific research organisation working to resolve global challenges in food, climate, energy and water security. The Institute works in partnership with people, organisations and governments to enhance sustainable environmental, social and economic development to deliver practical solutions for our shared future. www.hutton.ac.uk

WORLD FARMING

EU shelves promised ban on caged farming European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen revealed in her State of the Union speech recently that the Commission is shelving its unprecedented commitment to ban caged farming, made in response to a referendum-like action by 1.4 million citizens. Compassion in World Farming hailed this as a scandalous show of disdain for civic engagement, at a time when people are already losing trust in the EU. The NGO and the “End the Cage Age” movement will be exploring all options available to ensure the EU delivers what is the clear will of the people. The Financial Times reported the EU is considering dropping its plans for stricter animal welfare measures, including the ban on caged farming. In today’s speech on the priorities of the European Commission, President von der Leyen failed to mention their plans to publish the new laws. Following the demands of the Big Agri lobby, she announced plans for ‘more dialogue’ – despite endless consultations, meetings and scientific opinions over the past many years, and with tens of thousands of citizens providing input in the policy-making process. Commission officials have also devoted significant resources and public funding preparing the draft laws. Two years ago, the European Commission committed to end the use of cages in animal farming, in response to the ’End the Cage Age’ European Citizens’ Initiative, which Compassion in World Farming 18

initiated and coordinated, and which was signed by 1.4 million citizens. This was the first such commitment since the EU introduced this participatory democracy tool over ten years ago. The Commission had pinned down the revision of the EU’s animal welfare legislation for the third quarter of 2023. In the EU, every year about 300 million farmed animals still spend all or part of their lives in cages, pens or stalls, causing great suffering. Laying hens and rabbits, for example, are confined to spaces about the size of an A4 sheet of paper. Adult female pigs

have to spend nearly half of every year inside crates, in which they cannot even turn around. Olga Kikou, Head of Compassion in World Farming EU and substitute representative of the ‘End the Cage Age’ European Citizens’ Initiative said: “What has now happened is scandalous. The European Commission has gone back on its word to give animals a life worth living, bowing to the demands of the Big Agri lobby and killing the new animal welfare laws by delaying. They have betrayed the trust of its citizens and have turned EU democracy into an empty

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shell. Ahead of the EU elections, this will not go unnoticed in the polls.” Olga added: “The ‘End the Cage Age’ European Citizens’ Initiative is the only Initiative to have received a firm commitment for action, even though this democratic tool has been in existence for over a decade. Failure to keep this commitment is a clear failure of democracy and a show of disdain for civic engagement. We are now therefore exploring all options available to us to ensure the EU delivers what is the clear will of the people. Please watch this space.”

ATV’s The All Terrain solutions for todays farmer A look at some of the models on the market going into 2024

Honda’s UTV Pioneer 520 Honda’s UTV Pioneer 520 combines the benefits of side by sides and ATVs, marrying up safety and space found in side-by-sides with the nimble handling and a small, narrow footprint. In 2015 Honda America launched the Pioneer 500, promising a true all-rounder that was as versatile as it was compact. A powerful workhorse, engineers behind the two-seater designed it to stand-up to tough off-roading and a wide variety of testing work environments where Honda’s legendary reputation for durability, quality, and reliability is demanded. The key to the Pioneer’s enduring flexibility and allround ability has always been its layout. The 520 takes this to the next level with the introduction of a gas-assisted tilting rear bed. Measuring in at useful 29 inches in length, 38.7 inches in width and 9.8 inches high, the ample dimensions can swallow a multitude of items from multiple standard hay bales to buckets, crates and more. The ridged base design, three bed divider slots for ¾” partitions and five D-ring locations ensure the load stays secure regardless of the terrain. Aiding this load carrying versatility is a tailgate that folds flush with the bed floor when open and integrates four cupholders, giving the operator somewhere to sit on a work break, or at the end of a hard days work. Such useability has not come at the expense of durability, with

the bed designed to carry loads of up to 204kg. The one-piece plastic item is hard wearing and features integrated taillights for a more modern look. The monocoque shape and design of the rear bed weighs less than traditional steel items, aiding the 520’s handling for those seeking recreational fun. This highly capable load lugging capacity is boosted further through an ample towing capacity. Capable of towing 454kg, the Pioneer 520’s overall load capacity of 658kg makes it a very useful tool for agricultural and commercial applications.

Honda

The Kawasaki ATV Range The high-performance off-road Kawasaki ATV, Brute Force 750 4x4i EPS, is available in two colour schemes – black and camo. Designed for high performance off-road, the Brute Force 750 4x4i EPS boasts industry leading features including speed variable Electronic Power Steering (EPS) plus a further increase in the torque and all-day working performance of its 750 cm3 V-twin engine. Producing 36.6 kW of power @ 6,750rpm and 59Nm of torque @ 5,250rpm, there’s plenty to work with – or play with. Stopping power is provided by dual 200mm discs with 2-piston calipers on the front and enclosed multi-plate brakes on the rear, plus a parking

Kawasaki

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ATV’s brake comes as standard. Add a greater chassis control and the more you experience the Brute Force 750 4x4i Camo, the better it gets.

Kawasaki have also introduced the smaller KFX90 to its range, where the four-wheeled fun really starts! Get the kids outdoors and ready to ride on the

KFX90 ATV with proportionate power and size for riders ages 10 and older. KFX90 ATVs let kids take on more challenging tracks and bigger adventures

with an 89.9cc engine and sporty suspension. Visit Kawasaki.co.uk or contact your local dealer today to find out more!

Polaris’ latest all-new all-electric UTV, the RANGER XP Kinetic, is set to arrive in UK

Polaris

Featuring the most horsepower and torque ever found in a utility side-by-side, the XP Kinetic boasts 110 HP and 140lb-ft of instant torque, delivering maximum capability to effortlessly tow 1134kg and haul an industry-best 567kg. The electric powertrain features fewer moving parts, meaning less maintenance and more uptime. RANGER XP Kinetic has been torture-tested in extreme conditions and is backed by a 1-year factoryinstalled warranty, 3-year electric powertrain coverage, and 5-year battery coverage. What’s more, 20

the electric powertrain does not require oil changes, filter replacements, spark plugs or clutch maintenance. Scheduled maintenance costs are expected to be 70% less than average maintenance costs for similar fuel-powered vehicles.** Capable and durable, RANGER XP Kinetic delivers refined performance with clean, quiet operation for easy conversations with passengers and minimal disturbance to others, allowing customers to work in the early morning or late evenings without waking the neighbours, and avoiding

startling horses and livestock when working around the farm. The electric powertrain delivers smooth, precise control when operating at low speeds for full control and confidence while towing, backing up to a trailer, or spraying a fence line. The instantaneous torque also delivers faster acceleration for an exhilarating ride from field to field. In-cab smart performance features like the 12V cargo box outlet powers accessories like sprayers or charging portable batteries, and there’s a new, integrated switch for forward

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and reverse so customers change directions with the flip of a switch, making tasks like plowing fast and efficient. In addition to high and low gear, XP Kinetic also has three drive modes optimised to driving conditions and range management: Eco+, Standard and Sport. RANGER XP Kinetic is compatible with 95% of RANGER XP 1000 accessories, including windshields, roofs, winches, plows, and Lock&Ride storage options to keep important cargo organised and secure. Polaris also engineers

ATV’s accessories specifically for RANGER XP Kinetic, including a fast-acting electric heater kit, and upgraded charging systems. * Range estimates based on manufacturer data on typical customer driving usage and conditions. Actual range may varies based on conditions. Charging times vary depending on the charging capacity of your battery system and the output capacity of the power supply. ** Manufacturer estimate based on average scheduled maintenance costs over the course of a 5-year timeframe.

FARMING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE Next issue out January 2024

Suzuki is the King of Quads Suzuki is a manufacturer of motorcycles, automobiles, outboard motors and allterrain vehicles (ATVs) for the global market. The Suzuki trademark is recognised by people throughout the world as a brand whose products offer quality, innovation, reliability and originality. Suzuki stands behind this global symbol with a determination to maintain this confidence in the future, never ceasing in its efforts to develop ‘value-packed products’ with a focus on the customer. And this certainly rings true for Suzuki’s ATV division. Back in 1983 the QuadRunner 125 was the ATV that started an industry! It was the first ever production 4-wheel ATV and became a top-seller. This ATV boasted a

friendly design that was easy to use and an outstanding costperformance ratio. It was to be the catalyst that started a future of 4-wheel ATV technology. Now Suzuki’s range currently comprises of three versatile models; the KingQuad 500 and 500XP as well as the KingQuad 750XP (XP denotes independent suspension and power steering). These robust utility ATVs are the culmination of years of refinement and their high levels of technical specification and ease of handling make them suitable for a number of applications including hill and lowland farming, estate management and use on equestrian properties. Understanding its customers and the environment in which

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they work is part of Suzuki’s ethos. To this end, Suzuki understands that ATVs are an important and valuable asset, which is why it provides a theft deterrent system as standard. The CESAR Security System powered by Datatag is the official security initiative of both the Construction Equipment Association (CEA) and the Agricultural Engineers Association (AEA) and comes FREE on all new Suzuki utility ATVs. This Suzuki Datatag kit will give each ATV a unique ‘fingerprint’ with an identity that cannot be erased, however hard a criminal may try. This acts as a strong theft deterrent and a tool for recovery should the worst happen, as well as reducing insurance premiums.

ATV’s

Suzuki

Recently, the security of owning a Suzuki ATV has also been bolstered through a partnership with Datatool which sees a Thatcham accredited tracking and immobiliser system fitted with every new ATV as well.

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ATVs for all applications… and ages from Yamaha Yamaha offers the Kodiak in 450 and 700 options and the Grizzly with the larger engine only. All offer the option of Electric Power Steering (EPS) and DiffLock for greater stability on uneven ground. Special Edition (SE) models offer alternative paint colours, and all models are covered by a 10-year belt warranty and offered with a Datatool tracking device free of charge*. All ATVs in the range feature Yamaha’s OnCommand® 2WD/4WD drive

system with optional Diff-Lock, which offers greater stability on uneven and hilly ground, especially in wet conditions. The switchable drive system is operated using a switch on the handlebars to enable operators to move between 2- and 4-wheel drive as ground conditions change. Yamaha’s super smooth Ultramatic® CVT automatic transmission and independent long-travel adjustable suspension, makes both the Kodiak and Grizzly models

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easier to control and more comfortable on difficult terrain. Engine braking is also excellent and makes steep descents easier and more reassuring. A WARN winch is standard on all the new Yamha ATVs. Both Kodiak and Grizzly models have a towing capacity of 600 kilos. The 421cc Kodiak has a rear rack load capacity of 120 kilos, whilst the 686cc Kodiak and Grizzly models can carry 140 kilos. All the ATVs in the range can also be supplied with tracks for snow

ATV’s

Yamaha

and to assist travel on the most challenging of surfaces. Yamaha also offers three junior ATVs for ages 6+. The YFZ50, YFM90R and new YFM110R. The new model features a 112cc fuel-injected engine and like the smaller engine models has a TCI plugin to adjust engine power to suit different riding abilities, to enable parents to limit the top speed of the ATV. It’s styling reflects the larger YFM700R,

whereas the styling of the YFZ50 is similar to the YFZ450R used by adult racers, offering junior riders a taste of the racing experience in a safe starter ATV. * The Datatool Stealth S5 retails at £249 plus VAT. However, Yamaha is to offer the device free of charge, so operators only have to pay a £99 dealer installation and monthly fee of £9.95 to retain the services and support of a 24/7 operation centre.

FARMING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE Next Issue

Out in January. Featuring: Tractors for 2024, Slurry Management, Tyres, Renewable Energy, Trailers, Cultivation Equipment etc. See our website for details. www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com

environment Peatland ACTION shortlisted for two major awards

A Scottish Governmentfunded programme that offers landowners, farmers and crofters 100% funding and support to restore their damaged peatlands has been shortlisted for two prestigious Scottish awards. Peatland ACTION, a partnership programme led by NatureScot, with Scottish Water, Scottish Land & Estates and Scotland’s two National Park Authorities, has been shortlisted for an RSPB Nature of Scotland Award in the Landscape Restoration category, and for its work on Nature and the Environment for the Holyrood Climate Action Awards. The Nature of Scotland Awards celebrate the inspirational people, projects, groups and organisations working hard to protect Scotland’s precious natural heritage. Peatland ACTION has put Scotland at the forefront of landscape-scale peatland restoration in Europe.

By providing 100% funding, onthe-ground support, innovative techniques and technical know-how that are needed to successfully restore our peatlands, it plays a vital part in tackling Scotland’s biodiversity crisis. Launched in 2021 to coincide with Glasgow as the host city of COP26, the Holyrood Climate Action Awards recognise key players across seven categories including technology, nature, community, and the circular economy who are making significant contributions to Scotland’s Net Zero journey. Healthy peatlands can capture and store ten times as much carbon as any other land-based habitat. The work that Peatland ACTION is doing with landowners has so far resulted in over 43,000 hectares of restoration work on damaged peatlands, giving it a significant role in helping Scotland achieve its net-zero target by 2045.

Peter Hutchinson, a NatureScot Peatland ACTION Programme Strategy Manager said: ‘One of Peatland ACTION’s main aims is to encourage land owners and managers to work with us to put more of Scotland’s damaged peatlands on the road to recovery. So, we are delighted to be shortlisted for these awards.

We hope this will encourage more people to understand the value of our peatlands and take action to restore and protect them.’ The Holyrood Climate Award winners are due to be announced on 8 November 2023, with the Nature of Scotland Awards announced at a ceremony on 22 November 2023.

Top food producer thrives thanks to net zero drive

One of Scotland’s fastestgrowing food brands has announced that reducing its carbon emissions by almost 110% helped the company to survive Brexit, Covid and especially the ongoing energy crisis. We have meat, which supplies major supermarket chains with high-quality sausages and burgers from its Ayrshire farm and factory, installed a biomass plant on site and solar panels. The investments helped to save 24

£750,000 from its annual energy costs. Alex Paton, fourthgeneration farmer and cofounder of the business with his wife Carlyn, said: “Without doubt, we could have closed our doors in the last two years if we hadn’t made our operations much more sustainable. The increase in energy prices, on the back of Brexit and Covid, would have been impossible for us to absorb. We’ve seen other businesses in our sector struggling where

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environment we’ve been able to use the cost savings as a basis for growth.” The company first created a carbon management plan in 2015 with support from environmental consultants Tomson Consultancy, reducing its emissions by nearly 90% within the first year alone. It has since gone on to install LEDs and a wastewater treatment system. Further savings have come from switching its delivery fleet to hybrid plug-in vans charged by the company’s own CHP electric generation, saving 66% on fuel costs, and using excess heat from on-site heat generation to replace tumble dryers. These have all resulted in the business now being carbon neutral. The family business includes four traditional farms and even

the cattle gain from a greener approach as waste cardboard is shredded for bedding. Alex added: “Brexit has affected competition for labour and maybe an inflationary effect on materials, and clearly Covid was disruptive for virtually every business sector. The increase in energy prices could have been catastrophic. We started on our net zero journey eight years ago because it was the right thing to do but now we’re really seeing the business benefits too.” We hae meat’s achievements have resulted in it being recognised for sustainability with the Co-Op in Scotland Awards and most recently winning at the Scotland Food and Drink Excellence awards in 2022 for Sustainability Achievements.

There is a need for more accurate accounting of Nitrous Oxide from agricultural crop residues According to researchers from – among others – Aarhus University, there is a need for changing the way of accounting greenhouse gases from agriculture. According to researchers from – among others – Aarhus University, there is a need for changing the way of accounting greenhouse gases from agriculture. The current inventory of nitrous oxide from plant residues relies solely on the amount of nitrogen in the residues, while crucial factors such as the degradability of plant residues are not included. According to the researchers, this leads to misleading inventories, which also misrepresents possible mitigation measures. Crop residues are an important resource in agriculture. They contribute carbon to the soil, increase soil fertility and play an important role in the agricultural ecosystem, but they also play a role in relation to

energy supply and recycling of nutrients. Crop residues can be very diverse and have widely different composition and properties. They can be cover crops, grass, grass-clover, vegetables, straw, etc. They may consist of residues from roots or from above ground crop parts. “All in all, there is large diversity in the quality of the crop residues that are added to the soil as part of the general cultivation practice,” says Professor and Department head Jørgen E. Olesen from the Department of Agroecology at Aarhus University.

Hooray for hedges! By Rebecca Audsley, Principal Consultant, SAC Consulting.

A good hedge is not just particularly valuable as they a boundary feature. It can act as wildlife corridors, function as a windbreak for helping small mammals such both crops and livestock, as hedgehogs and voles move intercept pollutants, provide through the countryside, feed and habitat for farm joining up remnants of semiwildlife, and sequester and natural habitats. store carbon. Yes, there is The addition of hedgerow an additional cash cost over trees can be of benefit too. installing a livestock fence, Trees sequester carbon and but are we overlooking add to diversity through the additional benefits a alternative nesting and traditional hedgerow can roosting sites, flowers and bring? fruits, plus additional shelter The RSPB suggest hedges and shade for livestock, may support up to 80% of another bonus in our our woodland birds, 50% of unpredictable climate. our mammals and 30% of Leaf fodder or ‘tree hay’ our butterflies with food and/ may be more practical on a or shelter. Different species smaller scale but can be a will have their preferences, source of occasional grazing. but generally, thick, speciesAsh, elm, rowan, and hazel rich hedges with wide bases are all palatable to livestock. will provide cover for a range Leaf fodder provides minerals of different birds, insects and and trace elements, with small mammals on your farm. claims that species such Hedges can attract as willow bring medicinal pollinators including butterflies, benefits and could reduce moths, and bees. These benefit livestock methane emissions. oilseed rape, legumes, and With Scottish Government other crops, thereby helping funding potentially available to support agricultural yields. for creation of hedgerows Hedgerows can offer shelter in 2024 under the Agrifor beneficial insects to breed Environment and Climate and overwinter, with a well Scheme (AECS), is now the provisioned hedge providing time to consider what other a source of pollen and nectar benefits a good hedge could for food from spring through to bring to your farm? autumn. Small mammals also For more information on benefit; from bats using the creating biodiverse hedges hedges as feeding sites and for carbon visit www. For more information on other practical measures to improve navigational aids, to providing farmingforabetterclimate. farm efficiency and how these can also reduce the farm carbon shelter, food, and cover for org. Find us on Facebook and footprint, see www.farmingforabetterclimate.org Find us on other species. Hedges are Twitter @SACFarm4Climate. Facebook or follow us on Twitter @SACfarm4climate. Free nutrient management planning tools are available at www.planet4farmers.co.uk; guidance the rules around Farming for a Better Climateon is funded slurry applicationby arethe at www.farmingandwaterscotland.org Scottish Government

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renewable energy

Milestone for West of Orkney Windfarm The West of Orkney offshore windfarm has reached a major milestone by becoming the first project from last year’s ScotWind Leasing process to submit its offshore consent applications to Scottish Ministers. Responding, Nick Sharpe, Director of Communications at Scottish Renewables, said:

“ScotWind is set to transform the energy landscape in Scotland, so it is encouraging to see the West of Orkney Wind Farm become the first project from last year’s leasing round to enter the consenting process. “Plans are in place for over 27GW of new offshore wind capacity – equivalent to 13 more

West of Orkney projects - to be built over the next decade, and obtaining consent is just one of the many steps each of those schemes will have to take before these wind farms can start powering our net-zero future. “Consenting offshore wind farms is a complex process and the Scottish Government now

needs to ensure its agencies have the right skills and capacity in place so that decisions can be made on this project, and others which follow, at the pace needed to tackle the climate emergency.”

Onshore Wind Sector Deal will speed up Scotland’s net-zeroambitions Landmark deal will support Scotland’s ambition of 20GW of onshore wind by 2030 A new deal between the onshore wind industry and the Scottish Government has been signed setting out how both parties will work together to deliver onshore wind farms quickly, sustainably and to the benefit of both local communities and Scotland’s netzero target. The Onshore Wind Sector Deal sets out a series of key measures which will support the Scottish Government in reaching its target of 20GW onshore wind by 2030 - more than double Scotland’s current operational capacity of 9.3GW.

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These measures include ensuring the time onshore wind farms take to go through planning is halved to only 12 months and engaging with local communities at the earliest opportunity to agree a package of community benefits. The onshore wind industry and the Scottish Government have also committed to creating a sustainable solution for a circular economy supply chain for the recycling, refurbishing and repurposing of decommissioned wind turbine component parts. The Onshore Wind Sector Deal was signed by: • Claire Mack, Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables • Neil Gray, Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy • Gillian Martin, Minister for Energy and the Environment • Barry Carruthers, Chair of the G12/S5 Onshore Wind Sector Working Group The Onshore Wind Conference, at which the deal was signed, is hosted every year by Scottish Renewables and RenewableUK. It brings together leading onshore wind experts, policymakers and stakeholders

to share knowledge, expertise and first-hand experiences of the onshore wind industry. Claire Mack, Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, said: “This is a huge moment for the onshore wind industry in Scotland. “A world leader in renewable energy, Scotland has an ambition for onshore wind to have 20GW of onshore wind by 2030 and the Onshore Wind Sector Deal will play a key role in helping us to hit this target. “An incredible amount of hard work has gone in to making this deal happen and it is a real benefit to the industry knowing that the time onshore wind farms take to go through planning will be halved to only 12 months. It is also encouraging to see onshore wind farm operators and the Scottish Government committed to creating a sustainable solution and a circular economy supply chain for the recycling of wind turbine component parts. “We look forward to working closely with The Scottish Government to ensure the Onshore Wind Sector Deal is effectively implemented on the road to achieving Scotland’s netzero ambitions.”

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“This deal is a good example of industry and government working closely together to reinforce our shared commitment to reaching net zero.” Neil Gray MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy said: “This deal is a good example of industry and government working closely together to reinforce our shared commitment to reaching net zero. “As we embrace the possibilities, we acknowledge the challenges that lie ahead. Balancing the needs of energy production with proper environmental stewardship demands diligence and continuous innovation. This deal charts a course that safeguards our natural heritage while delivering clean, affordable energy to power our lives and industries. “By benefiting communities we are ensuring the rewards of our onshore wind revolution are shared by all. This helps meet our Programme for Government commitments and create a green and growing economy with fairness at its heart.”

science & technology

Farmers wanted to test-drive new GHG emissions-saving app

Arable and mixed farmers are being sought to help shape a new mobile phone app that could help them tackle on-farm greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. During a workshop at Glensaugh research farm near Laurencekirk, researchers from The James Hutton Institute will demonstrate the app prototype, which, alongside on-farm sensors, will estimate GHG emissions and point to ways to reduce and even help store more carbon in arable and mixed systems. There will also be a discussion about the drivers and challenges of reducing emissions, a tour of Glensaugh, including the institute’s Climate-

Positive Farming Initiative, and a talk about cutting carbon in arable farming from leading plant physiologist and soil scientist Professor Tim George. The event is on November 9, from morning to early afternoon and includes lunch. Farmers registering for the event will be paid travel expenses and compensated for their time. Project leader Dr Jagadeesh Yeluripati says, “Our goal is to give farmers a way to identify practices that may effectively reduce their GHGs and also use their soil to store more carbon. This workshop is a unique opportunity to shape and improve this innovative technology. Together, we can identify the

driving forces behind emissions, enhance usability and maximise its impact.” The workshop is part of the Scottish government funded

TRANSITION project. Farmers interested in attending should contact Carol Kyle at carol. kyle@hutton.ac.uk or 0344 928 5428.

Eurofins enters new partnership with SRUC

Eurofins Agro Testing is now leading the soil, forage and plant pathology laboratory at SRUC (Scotland’s Rural College) and will work in partnership with SAC Consulting (part of SRUC) to strengthen and develop its agricultural testing service across the UK. Eurofins took over the provision of the relevant lab services on 1 September, and the coming months will see the two organisations working together to broaden the services available to farmers throughout the country. Andrew Shead, Managing Director of all Eurofins Agricultural Testing Laboratories in the United Kingdom said: “We are excited and committed to working with our new colleagues at SRUC to align all testing activities as soon as

possible in order to provide our customers with the experience of both organisations. “This development forms the basis of a strong partnership between Eurofins and SRUC, combining SRUC’s great reputation in the Scottish market with Eurofins’ market-leading portfolio of tests. Together we want to contribute to viable, healthy and sustainable farming and growing.” This is the third addition to the Eurofins Agro Testing network in the past year, with similar assets in Viborg, Denmark and Buxtehude, Germany. Vice Principal of Commercial (SRUC), and Head of SAC Consulting, Andrew Lacey said: “Eurofins is an established global leader in testing, and this partnership will help to further the great work we are doing at SRUC.

Demand for agricultural data and insight is increasing in Scotland, and having the Eurofins name and brand here will increase this further. “It will allow us to offer an even better service than before,

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opening up potential for new services and careers, new data to inform and drive developments in research, and to potentially develop student employment opportunities working with a global company.” 27

The innovators behind the innovation Alex and Jane Brewster have been nurturing the landscape at Rotmell Farm, just outside Dunkeld, in the heart of Highland Perthshire for many years. Rotmell dates back to the 1790’s and was built as a show farm by the Duchess of Atholl. Since its inception it has been a place of innovation and modernisation, whilst the building may be historic, the farming methods that are actively being implemented are at the forefront of modern Regenerative Agriculture. Regenerative farming is at the core of the farm’s ethos, producing sustainable and nutritious produce whilst improving soil health and sequestering carbon. The farming team recently won Soil Farmer of the Year 2020 in recognition of their dedication to improving soil health and the production of nutritious foods. Alex was honoured to be awarded a Nuffield farming scholarship to study soil health

and the future of red meat in the 21st century in 2016, his global journey offered Alex the opportunity to see first hand how leading farmers are managing their soils and dealing with the many challenges facing the agricultural and food production sectors globally. Enthused he returned with a clearer understanding of how to face and deal with the environmental, economic and social challenges facing the sector here in the UK. As a result of this Alex and the team have taken on new projects and launched 2 new enterprises that support the Farming and land management sectors, both having sustainability and durability at heart. Powered Pasture was launched in 2016 to support the farming community on their regenerative agriculture journeys, Alex says ‘We found it hard to source the correct equipment which wasn’t readily available for our Farming needs and realised an

opportunity was there.’ We work on a consultative approach where Alex and the team can offer their expertise based on experience and can also discuss the potential pitfalls we have been through and what we have learned. ‘It is a constant learning journey, I enjoy discussing with other farmers in similar situations to us at Rotmell and working with them on their projects and seeing them come to life, I particularly enjoy catching up with them in 6/9/12 months down the line and hearing how things are progressing.’ Alex has been invited to speak at many events such as the Oxford Farming Conference, Groundswell and Carbon calling, his grounded approach and passion for developing sustainable farming models is infectious. The other exciting venture Alex and Jane started in 2021 was the launch of TorraMór, their outdoor clothing range. ‘TorraMór was developed because we just couldn’t find

Rotmell Farm, Dunkeld

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robust, sustainable and durable kit for our guys on the farm that was manufactured in the UK’ Jane continues ‘we all know the Kiwi and Aussie kit is world-leading but it just didn’t sit right with us knowing the environmental impact of importing these goods to the UK to wear, we also were starting to find the manufacturing of these garments was no longer based in their native countries. We felt it extremely important to support the British Manufacturing industry where possible. Our guys can be out all day in the harshest of environments here in Highland Perthshire and it’s our duty of care to make sure they have the best kit available, so TorraMór was born.’ It’s a very exciting time at TorraMór, the brand has had huge recognition and incredible feedback from all walks of life, from farmers out moving livestock to gamekeepers out on the hills and to dog walkers just needing something reliable,

durable, and comfortable. Currently, we have a range of Jackets, Smocks and trousers with new colours launching in the Autumn and we have some really exciting projects at the manufacturing stage involving Scottish Wool which will be manufactured in Scotland. Alex says ‘We are so proud of where TorraMór has come in such a short space of time, myself Jane and the team couldn’t be more excited about the future.’ TorraMór is launching two new products this winter using

Scottish Wool, Alex continues ‘We are all about sustainability, and supporting UK manufacturing and to bring out 2 new products which are being manufactured on our doorstep with more in the pipeline using Scottish wool is extremely exciting and very satisfying.’ TorraMór will be launching the new products and showcasing the existing products in Dunkeld in December with a pop-up shop at the Boathouse, Tay House on the 2nd and 3rd of December. All products are available to order online at www.torramor.com

Have your say on agriculture Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon encourages farmers and crofters get involved in shaping future support

By Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary Mairi Gougeon Alex and Jane Brewster in their TorraMór jackets

We remain committed to providing direct payments for farming and food production in Scotland and we’re looking for farmers and crofters to help inform the changes to support being delivered from 2025. Future support will help farmers and crofters produce more of what we eat more sustainably and to do so in a way that benefits both climate and nature. Scottish Government staff have spent the summer at shows and marts across the country talking to farmers and crofters about what they can do now to prepare for change and the support available through Preparing for Sustainable Farming for conducting carbon audits, soil analysis and animal health and welfare measures. With the Agriculture Bill now introduced to the Scottish Parliament, I’m delighted to invite the sector to help us shape the detail of future support and how it is delivered.

Opportunities will include interviews, surveys, workshops, testing and trials and anyone can take part. Volunteers will be reimbursed with payment levels depending on the time and input required and people can register their interest on the Rural Payments website: www. ruralpayments.org. The first opportunities will run until end December 2023 and will focus on changes coming into effect from 2025. Information about further topics and activities will be shared in the coming months. More information on the changes to agricultural support can be found in the Agricultural Reform Route Map. which has been updated to include information about these opportunities. We want everyone affected by changes to agricultural support to have their say and shape how it is delivered, so please do get involved.

Alex Brewster during a farm tour discussing soil health

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ARTICLES

New Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill essential for necessary powers - but how powers will be used is more critical Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill key step forward but policy detail now needs urgent attention. NFU Scotland, the country’s leading agricultural lobbying organisation, has welcomed the publication of the Scottish Government’s Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill. The ‘framework’ Bill will introduce new powers as part of primary legislation upon which Scotland’s future agriculture policy, due to be introduced from 2026 onwards, will be built. The Bill will now begin its progression through the Scottish Parliament, with an expectation that it will be adopted by Summer 2024. NFU Scotland will scrutinise the Bill in detail and closely monitor its progress through the Scottish Parliament to ensure it has all the enabling powers to provide the necessary support to active farmers and crofters for them to deliver intended outcomes around food production, climate, biodiversity and wider rural development. A sustainable and profitable agricultural industry is key to Scotland’s ambitions and having the appropriate powers in place to deliver the right support is a crucial factor in that. The secondary legislation that will follow the Bill, once enacted, must effectively support active farmers and crofters by putting agricultural production at its centre, as only this will underpin the nation’s ambitions for climate action, nature 30

Jonnnie Hall restoration, rural communities and the wider economy. Responding to the publication of the Bill, Jonnie Hall, Director of Policy, NFU Scotland said; “We welcome the publication of the Scottish Government’s Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill and what it will enable. It is vital that Scottish ministers have the necessary powers at their disposal to deliver a future support framework that works for farmers and crofters and works for Scotland. “Scottish agriculture is being asked to do much of the heavy lifting to meet Scotland’s climate and nature goals, whilst also continuing to produce food of the highest quality and sustain the socio-economic fabric of our

rural communities – the issues that Part 1 of the Bill addresses. “Scottish agriculture is up to the task, but it will need economically viable support to provide financial stability and to recognise and reward the vast array of positive outcomes that only active farming and crofting can provide. “While absolutely necessary, frustratingly this primary enabling legislation is also pretty bland - it lacks the obvious detail which farmers and crofters need now if they are to plan for and implement change. NFU Scotland members need the Scottish Government to use 2024 and 2025 as an effective, smooth transition for all agricultural businesses to hit the ground running from 2026.

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“At first glance alone, it’s clear there are elements included in the Bill that we have advocated for from the outset. But there are also other sections that need real interrogation. We must, for example, have assurance of a multi-annual support framework. The legislation has to work for and with farmers and crofters if its goals are to stand any chance of success. “Throughout Stages 1 to 3 of the Scottish Parliament’s legislative process we will scrutinise the published Bill, draft appropriate amendments, liaise with Scottish Government and the relevant Parliamentary Committee, and engage with MSPs and other stakeholders to ensure any necessary amendments are made or indeed other amendments rejected. “We will also consult closely with our members over the weeks and months ahead, to ensure they’re fully aware of the Bill’s purpose and progress so we can reflect their views and concerns in any changes we seek. “Our priority right now is ensuring that the powers the Bill creates are capable of delivering a new agriculture support framework which puts agricultural activity and food production at the heart of Scottish Government policy. “Beyond that, it’s paramount that those powers are then used to deliver the Union’s own vision of a ‘sustainable and profitable future for farmers and crofters’ because that is the only route to delivering all required outcomes.”

LAMMA 2024

More machinery giants to showcase latest kit at LAMMA 2024 Leading farm machinery brands JCB, New Holland, Case IH, and Massey Ferguson have all confirmed a return to LAMMA in 2024, rejoining regular exhibitors Same Deutz-Fahr, Merlo, Krone, Valtra and Fendt at the UK’s largest farm machinery event at the NEC Birmingham on 17-18 January.

Many have also shared that their latest models will make their UK debut at the event, reinforcing LAMMA as the place to be to see the latest in machinery and agri-tech. Lindsay Haddon, advertising and sales promotion manager at Massey Ferguson, said: “There have been a high number of

requests from both customers and dealers for Massey Ferguson to return to LAMMA and as we have some exciting new products to launch, including the UK premiere of our new flagship tractor, this seemed like the perfect opportunity.” John Smith, JCB agriculture managing director, said: “We’ll

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be at LAMMA in 2024 with our best-ever range of agricultural machines for productive farming and contracting. It will be an effective showcase for our products, held at the right time of year in a comfortable environment, and we are looking forward to having face-to-face conversations with existing and potential customers as we present an exciting line-up of existing and new machines.” Regular exhibitors Fendt and Valtra echoed this, explaining why they come back to LAMMA year after year. Sarah Howarth, marketing manager for Valtra UK & IE, said: “LAMMA 2023 was a great success for us, and we are very much looking forward to exhibiting again in 2024. We will be showcasing our full lineup of products and smart farming solutions. The show will provide a great opportunity for customers to get up close and personal with the complete product portfolio and meet with key members of the Valtra team and dealer network.” Ed Dennett of Fendt added: “We are looking forward to exhibiting once again in 2024. With product launches coming up, LAMMA represents a fantastic opportunity to show 31

LAMMA 2024 off our latest products, offering our customers greater efficiency and reliability, along with technology aimed at increasing farm profitability. We look forward to welcoming current and new customers to our stand in January.” More to see and do at LAMMA 2024 Following its success last year, the Demo Arena is back and bigger than before, with Merlo, Solis, Krone, Fendt, Valtra, Malone, and more, showing off their kit in action. Learning and knowledge exchange will also take centre stage. Visitors will have the chance to hear from leading and innovative voices in the LAMMA Live theatre. Agreena’s Thomas Gent will unravel the enigma of carbon farming, with further insight from organisations such as LKAB Minerals and FarmPlan. As before, CPD points will be available for members of BASIS, NRoSO and DairyPro. Another first for 2024 is Agriconnect TV, which will be broadcasting show highlights live on screens throughout the venue. “We are delighted to see more big machinery brands returning to LAMMA,” said LAMMA event director Sarah Whittaker-Smith. “It strengthens LAMMA’s position as the premier machinery event for UK farmers, contractors and the wider industry. We will have more to share later this year, but 2024 is stacking up to be one of our best yet. We can’t wait to open the doors of the NEC once again to welcome new and returning visitors.” Farming Simulator League makes UK debut Internationally acclaimed gaming series Farming Simulator has chosen LAMMA 2024 as the first ever UK venue for its esports league Sarah Whittaker-Smith, Event Director at LAMMA said: “The world of esports may be new to some in our industry, but we know that a lot of farmers are also gamers. Many finish 32

work on the farm, then go home to pick up their controllers and play in the evening. With more than 150 farming brands and big machinery names also getting involved, LAMMA is the perfect place for Farming Simulator League’s first UK event. “This competition brings something totally unique to LAMMA 2024, and we can’t wait to put it in front of a new audience.” The Farming Simulator League event will take place across both days of the show, with teams of three players each competing live from the Farming Simulator stand 11.290, aiming to survive multiple knockout rounds to reach the final. Visitors will be able to watch the competition and try the game for themselves. During the competition, players earn points by manoeuvring tractors and other equipment over hilly terrain to deliver bales into their team’s barn, as well as by harvesting grain from a field using combines, tractors and trailers. Various other game elements and challenges impact strategies over the 10 minutes of game play, and the team with most points at the end wins. A full description of Farming Simulator League and its rules can be found here. With more than 30 million units sold worldwide, Farming Simulator is a genre-leading phenomenon. Farming Simulator 22 features more than 150 agricultural brands like Case IH, Fendt, Massey Ferguson, New Holland, and Valtra. The series celebrates its 15th anniversary in 2023, and since its launch as a niche product for farming enthusiasts, it has developed to include multiplayer mode, mobile and console versions, esports, and most recently crossplaymultiplayer ability. Users are also able to create their own modifications to the game, with 2.5 billion “mod” downloads over the course of the series. “Farming Simulator is about growth – and with our attendance at LAMMA, we continue to cultivate our international presence and even put new

seeds into the soil by expanding the Farming Simulator League. We’re very happy and look forward to meeting new interested farmers and players in the UK,” says Boris Stefan, Head of Publishing at GIANTS Software. Neil Macer, Case IH Marketing Manager, UK & Ireland, said: “As a manufacturer featured in Farming Simulator, here at Case IH we’re very excited to see the Farming

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Simulator League taking place at LAMMA ’24. We are looking forward to showing visitors the latest red innovations on our stand, some of which will be coming to FS very soon!” Registration for free tickets is now available on the LAMMA website. Additional details will be released about LAMMA 2024 over the coming months. Those wanting to be the first to know updates about the show can sign up for the event newsletter here.

ARTICLE

UK’s best butcher shop acknowledges Scottish farmers role in success story Journalist Maureen Young joins butcher Nigel Ovens on a tour of key producers as he acknowledges the farmers’ role in securing him the UK’s foremost trade accolade Nigel’s passion for sourcing high quality, Scottish meats has been keenly honed over the years and, after trialling many, now sits firmly with several key suppliers of pork, beef and lamb. “The quality of product I’m getting now is the best it has ever been,” said Nigel, which is a bold statement for a business that stretches back nearly 90 years – but an opinion obviously shared with the judges in the UK Butcher Shop of the Year competition and many other award-giving bodies in recent years. Current Scottish Black Pudding Champion, McCaskie’s has also taken top spot for their haggis at many awards and their wide range of products continues to attract high level accolades both within and out with the trade. Having twice been crowned Scottish Butcher of the Year, Nigel claims the latest UK wide recognition, however, is one of the best. And to recognise the part played in McCaskie’s success by Scotland’s farmers, Nigel

embarked on a tour of his three main suppliers, taking him from the lush lowlands of The Borders to the open coastland of the Isle of Bute. T. Wilkinson and Partners at Stobs Farm near Hawick have been supplying pigs to McCaskie’s for over three years. “I’d never met Tommy and his son Matthew before,” said Nigel, “so it was great to meet face to face and see for myself the excellent operation they run at Stobs Farm. “The Wilkinsons guarantee pigs with the right fat cover, confirmation and reliability of flavour and, crucially, they are outdoor reared. “Seeing for myself the happiness of the sows and piglets roaming free on this beautiful grassland heartened me a lot. The sheer amount of movement shows it is not factory farming and that is so important to us.” Tommy (57) heads up the family business which involves son Matthew (29), wife Sandra and Mum Rae since his father Tom died suddenly seven years ago.

Photographs by Graeme Hart

There are many reasons that McCaskie’s Butchers and Café in Wemyss Bay was singled out by judges as the 2023 UK Butcher Shop of the Year – the highest level of business standards and practise, innovation, investment, hygiene and health and safety protocols, shop and staff appearance, training, online presence and customer service, to name but a few. Ask co-owner Nigel Ovens the pivotal aspect of their success in securing the nation’s top accolade, however, and he unhesitatingly cites the quality of McCaskie’s products. And that, he claims, rests on the shoulders of a handful of dedicated Scottish farmers and meat producers who ensure that the Inverclyde butchers shop handles some of the very best home-reared meat in Scotland. “It doesn’t matter how much blood, sweat and tears you pour into a business,” he said, “if the product lets you down, your customers will look elsewhere – and you certainly won’t be lifting national awards.”

Butcher Nigel Ovens

Ian Dickson at Scalpsie Bay

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One of the main pig producers in The Borders, Stobs Farm welcomes around 200 new piglets every three weeks, born of a cross Landrace/Duroc boar bloodline that they believe provides the perfect product for both butcher and consumer. “The sows give birth outside or in their insulated farrow arks,” said Tommy, “and the little ones immediately have the run of the fields, chasing and wrestling with each other and rooting for grubs and other titbits.” “The welfare of our animals comes first in everything we do,” said Matthew. “It’s all about keeping them healthy, happy and stress free until they’re ready to leave us.” Sows are limited to an average of two and a half litters each year, producing around 11/12 piglets each time. Once their field days with Mum are over, the youngsters are finished in straw yards with plenty of room and fresh air before being taken to the abattoir at Wishaw at 22 weeks (100-120kg).

ARTICLE And while Nigel was intent on thanking Tommy for the part he plays in McCaskie’s success, the pig producer is keen to stress the importance of a two-way relationship. “When Russia went to war with Ukraine, prices for our farm supplies doubled almost overnight,” he said. “We really struggled – to the point of considering packing it in – and if it wasn’t for the loyalty of butchers like Nigel we wouldn’t be here. Their support helped keep us afloat through the worst of times and bring us through.” With pig producers enjoying a healthier business climate at present, Tommy’s sleepless nights are behind him but his relationship with his butchers is still vitally important to him. “We welcome butchers coming to see how their meat is produced,” he said. “They can then pass on that assured provenance to their customers.” Just as Nigel’s visit to Stobs Farm cemented his relationship with his pork supplier and strengthened his belief that he had sourced some of the best reared and bred pigs in the country, a call at Mansfield Farm near New Cumnock would do similar with one of his beef suppliers. To guarantee quality beef for their customers, McCaskie now use 100% certified Aberdeen Angus – 80% of which is sourced and supplied through Highland Meats at Saltcoats.

Tommy Wilkinson and Nigel

“We get consistency of size of cuts and quality and all the bone-in roasts have the right fat cover and marbling content pretty much guaranteed,” said Nigel. “Through working together, they know exactly what I’m looking for and source some of the best in the country.” Nigel buys in additional beef from Balbirnie Estates at Cupar and organic Aberdeen Angus from Hugh Grierson in Perthshire. Nigel looks for beef from a grass-fed system and John Crawford at Mansfield delivers just that. John, brother William, wife Elma and son John farm around 700 acres on their East Ayrshire farm, owned by the Crawford family since John’s Grandfather moved there from Pitlochry just after the war in 1947. Buying from Dumfries, Ayr and Lanark markets, they carry about 500 head of stock and finish around 700 cattle each year. Sixty per cent of their herd is Aberdeen Angus – and growing. A percentage of Nigel’s meat is sourced through Highland Meats from John’s farm. And Nigel is so impressed with the animal welfare and husbandry measures at the family farm that he intends to source more beef from the Crawfords in future. “I was able to see the grass-fed system in action, the sustainability of outdoor cattle and the quality of beef on the hoof that comes from these lush acres,” said Nigel.

“That’s why it’s so important for butchers to visit farms and see exactly how their meat is being reared.” McCaskie’s take beef from the abattoir 5-10 days after slaughter and dry age it for a minimum 30 days. Again, Nigel’s supplier was quick to stress the importance of the butcher/farmer relationship. “You can’t separate them,” said John. “The butchers keep farmers in business and they’ve seen us through some struggles. We all need to work together to balance things out and we’d welcome butchers any time to see first-hand their beef on the hoof.” These sentiments are echoed by third-generation sheep farmer Ian Dickson at our third and final port of call – Scalpsie Farm on Bute. Nigel cannot fail to be impressed by the glorious coastal setting where lambs and ewes graze year-round on lush grass and heather uplands – every new-born enjoying the great outdoors in their short but idyllic life. “The lambs that go to Nigel never see the indoors,” explained farmer Ian who runs 900 breeding ewes over the 2,000 acres of mixed grazing.” Nigel is the only butcher Ian supplies finished lamb to and he’s made a commitment to draw and finish the lambs in such a way that the product is consistent with 23 kg carcasses which allows

consistency of cuts for McCaskie’s customers. Scalpsie lamb is just a short step away from being organically reared – a move Ian would like to see formalised by taking simple final steps to make the family farm 100% organic. “We’ve perfected a Texel/ Charolais cross lamb which is great for muscle and fat depth,” he said, “and I believe we are currently producing some of the best lamb in Scotland, with the ewes getting a diverse diet including grass, heather and the coastal grazing on the beach.” “All of McCaskie’s lamb comes from Scalpsie Farm and a visit here shows exactly why this is the lamb you would want to buy,” said Nigel. “It’s so important to tell our customers the provenance of our meat and it doesn’t come better than the excellent farming credentials of Ian and his family on Bute.” Nigel’s farm tour proved the perfect way to share his success with his producers. “It’s been hugely beneficial and extremely interesting to see my meat on the hoof, the working practice of the farms and also cement relationships with these hard-working farmers,” he said. “Coming from a farming heritage, I have a passionate interest in the industry and its relationship with the butcher’s trade. “Visiting producers is something every butcher should do and certainly something I will now be doing on an annual basis.”

Nigel and John Crawford

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DIET FEEDERS

Diet Feeders

A look at some of the models on the market today

Abbey Machinery Diet Feeders Providing Premium Mix Quality

Abbey’s Diet Feeder Range will support all farmer needs from compact introductory machines to larger, industrial size machines all to better improve feed management systems, herd health and the bottom line. The Abbey Machinery Diet Feeder range consists of 17 vertical auger diet feeders from 8 to 35 cubic metre capacity 36

with Feeders built to suit the requirements of the farm. Abbey Plus Range Diet Feeders now include 22mm augers standard, a fully galvanised viewing platform, new style feed out arm, rounded mudguards, wider trays to minimise spillage and door wedges for a more even feed out. These VF2450 machine spec also includes 18 knives,

wide angle PTO shaft, hydraulic side discharge doors, LED lights, two speed gearbox and COMER Planetary gear drive. The Abbey Plus Range Diet Feeders are standard with tandem axle and have the option of a steering axle. There is no horsepower requirement on Abbey Diet Feeders due to the unique mixing mechanism of the auger.

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The VF Twin 2450 features a 2810 Weighing System as standard. The 2810 Weighing System is an intuitive management tool to access and analyse feed data instantly. The 2810 clock helps optimise TMR inputs through precision loading to improve profitability. The system includes a free mobile app for in-cab control

DIET FEEDERS improving efficiency and eliminating manual feed sheets. Abbey Diet Feeders successfully contribute to the overall health, sustainability, and profitability of the farm program.

The Abbey Plus Range of Diet Feeders includes the 2450, 2650, 2850 and 3050 models. Diet feeding is a part of an environmentally friendly way of farming. Abbey Diet Feeders

unique chopping and mixing action helps the animal to digest the maximum amount of nutrients from the feed they have eaten, to drive performance, allow inputs to be managed and

even to reduce environmental emissions – from both nitrogen and methane. This raises feed efficiency improving milk and meat yield per kg dry matter intake.

Mix consistency is the key to feed performance from BvL Consistency is the key to a good ration mix and no two farms are the same. Therefore it’s important that a wide range of specifications and options are available, so that machines can be tailored to meet those requirements. The BvL V-MIX range of trailed diet feeders covers a wide range of machines, available in single, twin and triple auger variants and in capacity from 3.5m3 up to 46m3. In addition there are the increasingly popular V-MIX DRIVE single and twin

auger self-propelled models with capacities from 11m3 up to 21m3. Instead of cutting, these use a combing action to loosen the silage from the clamp which helps avoid damage and preserve feed quality. At the heart of all BvL mixers are powerful mixing augers, with Hardox leading edges and adjustable knives. Twin and triple auger versions incorporate mixing wedges for a thorough and consistent mix. A unique feature of all BvL diet mixers is the patented

EDS (Exact Dosing System) discharge. This is designed to provide consistent, even forage discharge that is deposited in a loose swath. With doors on both the left and right hand side of the feeder, this provides complete feeding flexibility and even allows for the mix to be deposited on both sides simultaneously. A wide range of additional discharge door options are available, as is a discharge conveyor on all models.

A new feature on the V-MIX DRIVE is a creep speed function that allows fine control of the speed when filling and discharging. A new automatic mixing system is also now standard which at the push of a button allows the mixing time and auger speed to be set to help ensure a consistent ration mix every time. When the mixing time has elapsed, the augers automatically shut off and engine speed reduced.

Agricultural Merchants

Main dealers for SILOKING Diet Feeders

Visit our website for new and used tractor & machinery stock lists and older model/refurb parts lists

www.jandwtaitltd.co.uk Sparrowhawk Road, Hatston Industrial Estate Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1GE

Tel: 01856 873003 / 872490 Email: info@jandwtaitltd.co.uk

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DIET FEEDERS

Seko Diet Feeders from Harry West

Harry West (Prees) Ltd are able to offer a full complement of diet feeding options for all your particular requirements. In these ever changing times the demand to produce more for a lower cost has never been more prevalent in the dairy / beef industry. This as always been a very topical issue. The range of Diet Feeders available from our North

Shropshire base covers every requirement for the progressive breeder. As the sole importer of the Seko Industries products we can offer the full range from the highly regarded Italian manufacture. For customers who require chopped material we can offer the extensive range of Seko machines, these top quality horizontal and vertical designed models offer up

to the minute in design and quality built machines. The Seko Samurai 7 horizontal range give us capacities of 5 cu/m up to 30 cu/m in various configurations consisting of trailed, selfpropelled and stationary units. The simple design consisting of two augers with four convergent windings along with stationary and auger blades giving an

excellent chopping and mixing action. Seko also have a complete range of vertical diet feeders labelled the Tiger series with capacities of 9cu/m to 45cu/m also available in self-propelled, trailed and stationary version. All machines are bespoke built with various discharge options, weighing systems and a variety of other build options.

Hi-Spec Vertical Auger diet feeders With its range of Vertical Auger and MixMax paddle type feeders, Hi-Spec Engineering Co Ltd offers one of the widest ranges of diet feeders on the market. A particular feature of Hi-Spec diet feeders is the wide range of options, with various feed-out 38

options available, ensuring they can be adapted to suit all types of building and feeding system. Vertical Auger range The Hi-Spec Vertical Auger range of V- and T-Series feeders are available in both single (V)

and twin (T) auger variants and sizes from 7m3 to 32m3. A specific feature of the HiSpec range is its ability to quickly and efficiently incorporate complete bales into the mix, due to the unique knife arrangement, which also allows the Vertical

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Auger mixer to be used with lower horsepower tractors. The Vertical Auger range uses a low pitch mixing and chopping auger that creates a simple cycle action and is fitted with eight selfsharpening knives one of which runs close to the body of the

DIET FEEDERS Vertical Feeder. The chopping blades are adjustable and counter plates in the feeder body ensure that once the mix is drawn up by the auger, as it falls back down the side it is held so that the rotating auger can further chop the feed, ensuring a quick and thorough mix can be consistently achieved. As standard, both V- and T-Series feeders are fitted with a Dinamica Generale

Bedding and feeding from one machine from Kuhn

DG600 display and weigh cells that allows a number of feed mix recipes to be recorded for different groups. The wide range of options includes various discharge outlet positions or a variable height hydraulic chute or Cross Conveyor with elevator. It can also be specified with the Digi-Star TMR Tracker fully programmable electronic weighing system.

Tiger V2 Range 12-30m³

For farmers looking to streamline their bedding and feeding jobs and reduce the requirement to have multiple tractors and implements for these tasks, using one mixer wagon for both operations could simplify the daily processes. KUHN’s Profile Plus 2L mixing and feeding wagon can combine the two roles into one machine. The five-model range each feature two vertical augers for complete mixing, with tub capacities from 24m3 to 34m3. The feeding system mixes the material in a figure of eight pattern to ensure complete circulation and product flow when feeding out, while the polygonal shape of the tub and the continuous helix auger design moves fodder upwards to prevent any dead spots from remaining unmixed. A rear cross-conveyor can distribute material to both sides of the machine. Suited to herds of 120 to 265 cows, the mixer wagon can www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com

DIET FEEDERS also be loaded with straw that is spread via a front mounted, straw blowing turbine that can blow straw up to 18m. KUHN’s POLYDRIVE system lets the straw blowing turbine reach operating speed before a hydraulic pulley engages the straw feed, helping to reduce the risk of blockages. Straw can be blown up to 18m from the right-hand side of the machine and 13m from the left, while a CleanStraw dust control system adds water to the straw to reduce the quantity of dust

circulating during operation. When working near the pens, a two-speed gearbox allows the operator to switch to a lower speed to ensure an even spread, while a 220º swivelling chute is an option to access the tight corners of low sheds. To improve the straw suction from the turbine, a VENTIDRIVE asymmetrical shaped blowing hatch guarantees regular straw flow even at low rpm and prevents common straw backflow issues experienced with regular shaped hatches.

Kverneland System 500+ boosts feeding efficiency Kverneland’s Siloking selfpropelled feeder range continues to grow, and the latest System 500+ model is no exception. Sitting in the middle of the SelfLine 4.0 conventionalchassis range currently available from Kverneland, the system 500+ 2519 is offered with four capacities – 19, 22, 25 and 27 cubic metres. This model offers an airsuspended chassis with fourwheel steering and a choice of four road speeds from 20-50kph. Power comes from a 252hp Volvo six-cylinder engine, with 1,000-hour service intervals contributing to lower cost of ownership. Equipped with a 2m wide milling head that supplies the mixing tub using a 700mm wide belt conveyor, the System 500+ boasts twin vertical augers with adjustable, hardened knives and an integral FlowPlus hopper ring to improve bale processing. While overall machine height sits below 3m for the 19 cubic metre capacity model, the loading height available across the range is 5.3m through the working range of the milling head. Discharge options can include a hydraulic crossconveyor, and high-capacity HD rear doors for rapid emptying. For the operator, the cab includes a 7in colour display 40

showing machine functions including discharge door indicator, mixing speed and weighing data. Siloking’s programmable weighing system with feed management software is also included. A colour camera system with quad display offers connectivity of up to a maximum of four cameras, offering scope

to watch feed discharge and tub mixing for example, in addition to a standard rear-view. Those regularly handling high volumes of straw can now opt for an integral straw chopper. Available across the SelfLine 4.0 range, this sits behind the milling head, and is activated by pushbutton control from the cab.

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Hydraulically driven, the straw processor delivers a chop length from 2-4cm, helping to shorten mixing times when including straw within rations. Dimensions of the System 500+ models include an overall height from 2.9-3.5m depending on body capacity; an overall width of 2.54m; and an overall length of 8.9-9.4m.

Welcome to this years’ Preview of AgriScot 2023 By Robert Neill, AgriScot Chairman

Robert Neill, AgriScot Chairman

Over the last few years, AgriScot has continued to develop and adapt, ensuring it remains relevant and worthwhile for everyone attending – from our trade exhibitors and seminar hosts, through to our beef demonstration team, dairy cattle exhibitors and the thousands of visitors who pass through the door. This year is no different. Following delegate feedback last year, we have pushed the event back by oneweek, making it more convenient to attend. We have invested in the seminar programme to ensure it offers a broader range of themed topics, and our exhibitor stands suit all farming backgrounds and interests. The days of AgriScot as a “dairy-only” event are long gone, and whilst it is important we value the foundations of the event and continue to welcome the dairy industry, our diversity is what makes the day one of the UK premium agricultural business events. We now welcome stands from seed companies, grain drying and wireless telecoms infrastructure, to livestock handling systems, nutrition, machinery, accountancy and consultancy services – there really is something for everyone. Testimony to the events success is the sell-out of exhibitor space, well in advance of the doors opening, and whilst this year we were in a position to welcome a few new stands, many of those who have been with us yearon-year will be returning once again. I look forward to welcoming over 230 stands, and hearing and seeing the many new innovations that are coming to the market. Our wide-reaching seminar programme provides more in-depth technical knowledge and industry insights, helping farm businesses plan for the year ahead whilst also creating connections and networks to help support on-farm decisions. To ensure these are inclusive as possible, we will once again live stream these so anyone can join, regardless where you are in Scotland. However, it is not just business that makes AgriScot an important event in the annual calendar. The chatter and noise that can be heard across the exhibitor halls is testimony to the wonderful social occasion it offers, bringing together friends and peers who may not have had the opportunity to catch-up for many months. Whatever your reason for coming to AgriScot, I look forward to welcoming you to the Royal Highland Showground on 22nd November. Remember to register in advance for your free ticket and bring your express entry ticket with you! The doors open at 9am, with complimentary coffee for early visitors in the Strathmore Restaurant in the Lowland Hall. See you at AgriScot. All Best Wishes. Robert Neill, AgriScot Chairman 42

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General event information

AgriScot takes place on Wednesday 22nd November at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston and runs from 9am to 5.30pm. It is located within walking distance of Edinburgh airport, and just a short distance by tram from Edinburgh City Centre and mainline rail networks. If travelling by road, car parking is free.

For those wishing to make the most of their visit to Edinburgh, a range of budget and premium hotels are located next to the venue, including a Moxy, Travelodge, Holiday Inn Express, Premier Inn, Hilton by Hampton, Hilton Doubletree and Norton House Hotel. To find out more about AgriScot at www.agriscot.com.

The UK’s premier agricultural business event, AgriScot, has announced a new partnership, enabling delegates to benefit from express, free entry. CLAAS Financial Services, the asset finance division of one of the leading manufacturers

of agricultural machinery and a long-term exhibitor at AgriScot, will support the 2023 registration system. Offering delegates a chance to get their ticket ahead of the event, CLAAS Financial Services Regional Finance Manager Will

Burton believes that this is a vital tool for visitors to get the most from their time. “CLAAS Finance is delighted to sponsor the AgriScot express entry system this year. This registration system will allow visitors to go online, register for their free ticket

which will be scanned on arrival, and then simply walk straight into the event. This means people can make the most of the one-day event without queuing,” says Will. To order your ticket which includes free parking, pre-register at www.agriscot.co.uk

AgriScot Timetable Time

Event

Location

9.00am

Doors Open – Free coffee for early visitors in the Strathmore Restaurant in the Lowland Hall.

9.15am

Silage Competition Results – Sponsored by Watson Seeds

Show Ring

9.30am Seminar: Farm Smart, Profit More with John Deere

Upper Foyer Room 1

9.45am

Dairy Competition – The breed competition starts in the judging ring.

Show Ring

10.00am Seminar: Sustainability in the malting barley supply chain – with Simpsons Malt

Upper Foyer Room 2

11.00am

Heifer Championships – SuperHeifer Announced

Show Ring

11.00am

NFUS Seminar – NFU Scotland’s President Martin Kennedy and Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Tourism Mairi Gougeon, will use the annual seminar to drive discussion on the current priorities for Scottish farming.

Upper Foyer Room 1

11.30am

Beef Demonstration – The demo will challenge farmers to consider if they are producing the right cattle for the right markets

Show Ring

12.00pm Seminar: Methane Reduction – Just a lot of hot air? Sponsored by Norvite Animal Nutrition

Upper Foyer Room 2

12.00pm

Show Ring

AgriScot Scottish Farm of the Year Presentations Scottish Arable Farm of the Year – Sponsored by SoilEssentials and Supported by AHDB. Scottish Dairy Farm of the Year – Sponsored by GEA Scotch Beef Farm of the Year – Sponsored by ABP and Supported by QMS. www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com

Time

Event

Location

12.00pm

Scottish Sheep Farm of the Year – Sponsored by Thorntons and Supported by QMS.

Show Ring

Scottish Diversified Farm of the Year – Sponsored by SAC Consulting Scottish Sustainable Farm of the Year – Sponsored by Polycrub and Supported by Scottish Land & Estates Business Skills Competition Results Announced – Sponsored by NFU Mutual and supported by SRUC 12.30pm

RSABI Annual General Meeting

Upper Foyer

1.00pm

Dairy Competition – Judging of the country’s top dairy cattle continues.

Show Ring

1.00pm Scottish Dairy Hub & Kite Consultancy Question Time Event

Upper Foyer Room 1

1.15pm Seminar: 5 ways green energy could make more money from your land with Davidson & Robertson

Upper Foyer Room 2

2.15pm Seminar: Farm of the Year Panel Discussion

Upper Foyer Room 1

2.30pm

Best Stall Award Presentation – Sponsored by Fullwoodhead Dairy Supplies

Show Ring

2.30pm

Seminar: Back to the Future-how co-ops help farmer businesses and can tackle the challenges ahead Sponsored by SAOS

Upper Foyer Room 2

3.15pm

Dairy Classes Prize Presentations – SuperCow announced.

Show Ring

3.30pm Animal Health Seminar presented by Moredun 5.30pm

Upper Foyer Room 1

Doors Close

Exhibitors With over 230 exhibitors attending there is something to suit every business and appeal to all farming sectors at AgriScot. AgriScot is a trade focused event, where businesses come to meet farmers face-to-face, share expertise and new product offerings, which will benefit agricultural businesses and forge important relationships for years to come. It is one of the main business events in the UK where farmers can grasp the opportunity to meet with suppliers, hear the latest in ag tech, from health care to machinery, and take advantage of the huge range of expertise on offer - all in one place. With rising costs impacting farm businesses across the board, this year’s event will be primarily focused on what exhibitors can offer farmers, to help cut down on costs and increase overall farm efficiency. Farmer John MacInnes, from the Isle of Iona, has been

the Trade Stands Manager at AgriScot since joining the team at Rural Projects, who deliver the event, in 2001. He explained why exhibitors are so fundamental to the success of the day. “The exhibitors have always been the most important part of AgriScot, they have provided the financial backing to allow us to offer such a fantastic free event and the quality of trade stands we deliver year on year, is testament to the brilliant businesses we have supporting the agricultural sector. “Since the event evolved from DairyScot to AgriScot in 2001, there has been a progression away from dairy-only focussed trade standards, to a wide range of exhibitors catering for all farming sectors. “Ultimately our exhibitors are here to do business. They may have a new product to launch through suppliers and it is a good chance to make trade contacts as well as network with farmers. Agriculture is a people industry

and people like to meet faceto-face to buy products and find out more about new technology, whatever may benefit their business.”. It is not just about providing a strong line-up of trade stands but ensuring that there is good engagement from visitors on the day, to make the most of what is on offer. John explained that AgriScot has very high

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retention rates for exhibitors and the organising team strives to maintain those links year on year, but are also delighted to have some new exhibitors involved this year “We were able to free up some space this year to accommodate some new exhibitors which is good as it freshens up our offering and allows us to showcase new products,” he continued. “We

are hearing from exhibitors that keeping costs in check will be the big focus this year and visitors to AgriScot can expect to be offered

advice and solutions to keeping costs down and driving efficiency. “I would urge people swithering about whether to come

along, to make the trip, as no matter what sector you’re in, you will discover something new and leave with learning points which

will be worthwhile to your own business.” A full list of exhibitors can be found at www.agriscot.com.

Seminar Programme Whilst AgriScot is renowned for its exhibition halls, hosting over 230 different trade stands covering a wide range of agricultural and rural sectors, the seminar programme is sought after by organisations and visitors alike. Attracting a high calibre of speakers and topics, these short one-hour sessions provide industry insights and updates, as well as new ideas, solutions and networks to support businesses in the future. And to ensure they are accessible by anyone with an interest, the seminars are live streamed free of charge and made available on watch-back, after AgriScot. Hosted across two seminar rooms in the Upper Foyer of the Highland Hall the programme has been themed this year. Seminar Room 1 – Industry and Policy Updates 9.30am – 10.30am Farm Smart, Profit More

This seminar focuses on the latest Precision AG technology

which John Deere offers to their customers today, allowing them to farm smarter and apply site-specific farming techniques. The technology in focus during this seminar will be the John Deere Harvest lab sensor and John Deere Operations Centre. HarvestLab is a NIR sensor which can be used to optimise farm operations and improve profitability. It can now be used in four different applications allowing accurate measurement of forage quality, manure analysis and grain sensing. The John Deere Operations Centre is a free farm management portal which provides detailed analysis of machine efficiency,

agronomic data and more to help support your profitability. 11.00am – 12.00pm NFUS Panel Discussion with the Cabinet Secretary

This annual seminar, hosted at AgriScot, will see NFUS President Martin Kennedy and the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands, Mairi Gougeon MSP, go head-to-head to debate the issues of the day. AgriScot Chair Robert Neill will direct the discussion where

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the Scottish Agriculture Bill and future support are sure to be top of the agenda. A Q&A from the audience will conclude the session. 1.00pm – 2.00pm Dairy Hub – Dairy Panel Debate

The Scottish Dairy Hub and Kite Consultancy will deliver an expert panel to discuss the current issues facing the dairy sector.

Speakers will give an insight into the short and long-term outlook, opportunities, and challenges for Scottish dairy farmers. As in previous years, there will be an opportunity for dairy farmers and stakeholders to bring along their probing questions for the panel. David Keiley, Senior Consultant at Kite Consulting will be co-chairing this year’s debate with Tracey Roan, Manager of the Scottish Dairy Hub. 2.15pm – 3.15pm AgriScot Farm of the Year – Panel Discussion

Join us as we celebrate some of the winners of the Scottish Agricultural Awards, who will be announced on 26 October. Visit our website for more details on this special session, which is

12.00pm – 1.00pm Methane Reduction – Just a lot of hot air?

staying under wraps until after the award ceremony. 3.30pm – 4.30pm Animal Health Seminar

Moredun is committed to promoting livestock health and welfare through research and education and is recognised worldwide for its contribution to research into infectious diseases of farmed livestock. During this session, they will update delegates on their work, new disease and developments of solutions and treatment strategies. Seminar Room 2 – Business & Climate Resilience 10.00am – 11.00am Sustainability in the malting barley supply chain

As a fifth-generation, family business and Certified B Corporation, Simpsons Malt Limited works with businesses at both ends of the supply chain through its malting division (Simpsons Malt) and agricultural merchanting division (McCreath Simpson & Prentice) to drive sustainable practices both onfarm and in its own operations. In this presentation, Sustainability Manager Ben Gothorp talks about how collaboration with farmers and industry suppliers, as well as significant investments at the company’s Tweed Valley Maltings, is helping the business work towards its objective of carbon-neutral malting barley and distilling wheat production by 2030.

With a long heritage as specialists in animal nutrition, Norvite is focused on the future, and as part of their 50th anniversary celebrations join the AgriScot seminar programme this year. During their session, they will examine key facts concerning greenhouse gas emissions and provide some context around the responsibility of agriculture compared to the economy as a whole. Technical specialists from DSM Nutritional Products (UK) will review various strategies to mitigate methane. DSM has developed Bovaer®, the most extensively studied and scientifically proven solution to the methane challenge. More than 50 trials

AgriScot Wednesday 22 November 2023

across 15 countries support reductions of 30% (dairy) and 45% (beef). Livestock should be regarded, not as “the problem”, but rather part of a sustainable solution. 1.15pm – 2.15pm 5 ways green energy could make more money from your land (and it’s not just about turbines)

The move to green energy will impact almost all farmers, even those whose land isn’t suited to turbines or solar panels. In this seminar, Davidson and Robertson, one of Scotland’s leading Rural Surveyors and Consultants, will share five ways farmers can financially benefit from new energy sources and, crucially, how to do it without a cost to themselves.

2.30pm – 3.30pm Back to the Future-how co-ops help farmer businesses and can tackle the challenges ahead.

Showcasing and promoting the benefits of farmer co-operation and working together, SAOS will present their latest annual co-op statistics, demonstrating the scale and impact of their member co-ops. Joined by a small group of farmers from across the livestock and arable sector, the panel will share their personal experiences of being a co-op member, why they co-operate and how it benefits them and their business. The seminar will include an open discussion, seeking audience feedback on how more co-operation can be supported and incentivised to help Scottish farming tackle profitability, climate and nature challenges.

In this seminar we want to explore with the audience how the sector can adapt to futureproof our workforce including attracting and recruiting new employees into agriculture, retain the existing workforce,

develop their skills to embrace new opportunities and create next generation leaders within our industry. To view the seminars via the live stream, or watch back after the event, visit www.agriscot.com

The AgriScot Business Skills, sponsored by NFU Mutual, organised by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) and supported by SAYFC, supports aspiring young professionals by encouraging them to think about the skills required to manage an agricultural business, whilst also connecting them with mentors and networks, to help with

their personal and professional development. The competition, which assesses individuals’ general business skills and awareness of agri-business issues, comes with a £1000 cash prize. In addition, new this year, the two individuals who come runners up will be presented with £250 each, making the competition even more appealing.

Business skills – supporting future agricultural leaders

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Commenting on the competition, 2022 winner Jack Young found the whole experience worthwhile. “The regional heat was really interesting. We went round individually with a couple of judges, and mentors. They asked us questions picking up on our knowledge of farming, with the aim of understanding how much we knew about the industry. This was all on-farm, and was so easily done, there was no pressure at all. “£1,000 is a tremendous prize. I was dreaming about it to start with, that you could actually win these kind of things, and here I am. But it wasn’t just the money I came away with, I developed further skills in time management and strategy, which is helping me with our home farm business.” Heather Kerr from SRUC, AgriScot Business Skills Coordinator, feels this competition is continuing to

evolve to the benefit of the industry, “The topic this year, “What does a sustainable future look like for Scottish Agriculture?”, provides flexibility and scope for applicants to really look at what sustainability means for Scottish agriculture. Whether it is sustainability in terms of our landscape, people, environment, cropping and/or livestock, there is no response that is off limits.” Previous winners have gone on to develop their own businesses, take on key leadership roles within the sector, and this year will see two of them join the judging panel for the AgriScot Product Innovation award, celebrating new innovation. Commenting on why NFU Mutual continue to sponsor the competition, Martin Malone, NFU Mutual Regional Manager of NI and Scotland) said, “Agriculture is continuing to adapt to the needs of consumers,

political pressures, regulations and accreditation schemes, to name but a few, but what doesn’t change is the skills required by our most precious asset, our people. “The AgriScot Business Skills Competition brings forward young people who

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inspire and challenge the statusquo, and investing in their skills development is vital for our sector.” The finalists heat will take place at AgriScot 2023, with the winners announced live in the main ring.

Silage Competition… longest running silage competition in Scotland This year’s event will host the 22nd annual AgriScot Silage Competition. The competition which has attracted more than 3000 entries since it began, is the longest running silage competition in Scotland. It is a reflection of the high regard the contest is held in, that has kept it going continuously, never missing a year since it began in 2001 – in spite of disasters such as foot and mouth disease and the coronavirus pandemic. Silage production is vital to farm enterprises across Scotland. Quality is key, particularly at a time when increasing feed and fertiliser costs are putting pressure on

farming businesses. Knowing the nutritional value of silage allows for accurate ration planning and regular analysis means variations in quality can be quickly corrected. The silage competition is divided into four categories: Beef Clamp, Dairy Clamp, Big Bale and a Young Farmer class for those aged 30 and under, which can be submitted from any cut of silage. Judges will examine the silage analysis report submitted by each applicant, evaluating metabolisable energy, crude protein, and dry matter. The top three results in each category will be judged live on the day of AgriScot.

Andrew Best, Seed Specialist Sponsors and competition

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organisers Watson Seeds says: “This year’s silage season has been

dominated by weather extremes, with generally good grass growth throughout the season, but tight harvesting windows. First cut silage was of good quality though generated lower yields, and a later period of drought meant that second cut could contain higher fibre grass, reducing silage quality. Post Highland show saw consistently high rainfall and catchy silage making conditions which further reinforces the benefits of analysis to fully understand the value of the silage to the business.” In the main ring, Judges, Hugh McClymont and RHASS chairman and agronomist, Jim Warnock will judge the final samples, explain their decisions, and entertain the crowd with their forage knowledge and silage analysis feedback. Jim Warnock said: “I really enjoyed judging the competition last year and having a good craic with silage guru Mr Hugh McClymont, during our commentary. Analysing silage this year is more important than

ever, with silage being baled at less than optimum times, reducing ME value. Analysis is a great starting block to understanding what supplements may be needed to perfect feed rations.” Speaking of winning the Beef Clamp section in 2022, SRUC farm manager, James Marshall says, “We always do our best to make quality forage and, confirmation that we are doing a great job with our silage provides a real sense of pride and achievement. Having the chance to compare with others is inspiring, and to receive feedback from the judges during the competition is invaluable. In farming, there are so many setbacks and hardships which constantly challenge us, so receiving a positive result during the competition is something I can reflect on with pride.” Winners of each category will be awarded with ten acres of any Watson Seeds Castle Mixture, with second and third place, receiving five and two acres, respectively.

Beef Demonstration… are we getting it right for the market?

One of the highlights of AgriScot each year is the beef demonstration which takes place in the main ring and for 2023 will focus on finishing cattle. The interactive audience participation demonstration, supported by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), will be led by Gavin Hill, Senior Beef Specialist at SAC Consulting (part of SRUC) along with Robert Gilchrist, Chief Executive of the Aberdeen Angus Society. “This year we will be bringing four finishing cattle to AgriScot,

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both Simmental and Angus, bred and reared by the students at SRUC Oatridge who will be leading the cattle on the day.” explains Gavin Hill “Alongside discussion on weights and growth rates, we will be challenging farmers to consider if they are producing the right cattle for the right markets, and if their finishing age does deliver carbon efficiency. “To give a complete picture, they will be joined in the ring by a local butcher allowing us to explore the end product and

where the high values are within the carcass. They will be sharing insights into consumer demands, and how to ensure you get the most return from your animals. “Important to remember that although our cattle genetics may vary so does our climate and resources available and so one size does not fit all. It should never be intensive (cereals) v extensive (forage) as there is place for both in the short and long term.” “In Scotland, we produce some of the highest-quality animals in the world. However, others will also claim this as well and so we must make sure our product can be differentiated in the extremely competitive market, so we produce both what the market wants and be mindful of how it is produced. We have to get it right during this challenging time for the industry.” The demonstration will take place in the show ring at 11.30am.

AgriScot is renowned for its premier dairy cattle classes, bringing breeders from all across the UK and Ireland, to compete for the largest prize fund of any event in the UK, £25,000. For 2023, the event has increased prize money for each class as well as introducing a new category, Best Udder, kindly sponsored by Harrison & Hetherington. The SuperHeifer and SuperCow returns, with a £1000 prize fund for each title, and classes are available for Ayrshires, British Red and White, Holsteins, Jersey and Any Other Breeds. Commenting on the competition, Robert Hunter, AgriScot Director said, “As an event, we are only too aware of the increasing costs to farmers, and in particular the cost of bring livestock to show. It is not only the transport associated, but for many taking time away from the farm results in the need for bringing in additional resource back at home. This was a key driver for increasing the prize money this year, to help reduce that barrier and continue to attract well performing herds from right across the UK.

Dairy Cattle Classes

“In addition, by moving the date AgriScot to one week later, many herds that attend UK Dairy Day, earlier in November, can now compete at AgriScot as there is enough time between events to meet the TB movement regulations.” The event strongly believes in investing in the competition, as the commitment and challenges involved in showing, are significant for each farm. In addition, they seek out high-calibre judges who have their own experience and knowledge within the sector. The well-known and highly regarded Riverdane herd is run by this year’s judge, Mark

Nutsford and his wife Sue. Based at Ravenscroft Hall Farm in Cheshire, the couple milk 200 pedigree Holsteins and have recently invested in GEA robots, which run alongside their 20:20 GEA parlour. Their breeding programme is managed via artificial insemination, and all milk is sold to Muller on a Sainsbury’s contract. Their youngstock is kept locally, and they have recently just hosted their first on-farm sale which included 60 milkers, plus youngstock and embryos. Robert added, “Mark is very respected throughout the UK and is the first person who will

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tell you he is a “cow man” at heart. He is often heard saying that a good cow, is a good cow, irrespective of the breed or colour. This open-minded approach makes him perfect for AgriScot, and as the only breeder to have one Super Heifer and Super Cow on the same day, he knows what it means to pick up the top prize.” Follow AgriScot online: Facebook - https://www. facebook.com/AgriScot/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/ agriscot LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin. com/agriscot 55

And featuring some of this years’ exhibitors… Barenbrug

Killylea promises performance ‘above the standard’ for Scotland growers UK grass and forage breeder Barenbrug has announced that perennial ryegrass variety Killylea has been approved for the 2023-24 Scottish Recommended Grass and

Clover List, with availability from 2024 A late tetraploid variety, Killylea has been specially bred to suit the requirements and expectations of growers in Scotland and Northern Ireland, making it a potent substitute for ‘standard’ UK-wide varieties in any seed mixture, notes Janet Montgomery, the company’s Agriculture Product Manager. “What we have in Killylea is another example of Barenburg’s UK-focused grass-breeding strategy,” she says, “where we’re breeding UK varieties for a UK fit on UK farms. “First advanced for trialling in 2011, Killylea performs above the reference variety. While it

can be quite a decision to switch from an established and familiar variety, with Killylea there’s no compromise of the high standards growers and merchants expect from a high-performing late tetraploid.” Janet points to Killylea’s visible resilience in mixtures with other grass varieties. “We see Killylea – with its traits specially selected for Scottish conditions and grower expectations – as having the potential to replace other UK-wide varieties in mixtures, ultimately providing growers with more robust and better-performing grass.” New grass varieties usually spend between 15 and 17 years in development, after the initial

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cross. Killylea is no exception: its stand-out traits were first recognised in 2006. It’s one of nearly 50 grass varieties that have made it to the UK’s Recommended Lists during the 32-year breeding partnership between Barenbrug and the AgriFood and Biosciences Breeding Institute in Northern Ireland. Two further varieties – Tollymore, an intermediate tetraploid, and early tetraploid Barwave – also appear on the new Recommended List. “Both are UK-wide varieties,” Janet explains, “but it’s Tollymore we’re most excited about. Growers who’ve trialled it described it as ‘a grass that blows your socks off’.”

BD Supplies

B D Supplies. Established in 2000 we are a leading supplier of Animal husbandry and Hoof trimming Equipment. We can supply anything hoof trimming from a basic knife right through to the hoof trimming chutes which won us Gold in the Royal Highland Technical Innovation Award. We also offer a comprehensive range of animal husbandry

equipment, being a supplier of IAE, Portequip and Tru-Test Weigh Equipment. With expansion into a thriving Biomass Wood Pellet delivery business, becoming fully BSL and Hetas registered and offering both bagged and bulk deliveries into the domestic and commercial market. We took the wood pellets on with the same ethos as the agricultural side of the business - Quality products which we believe in and trust rather than just price. Agriculture is still a huge part of our business and we are always looking at bringing new products to the UK market and promoting products which we feel have a benefit in the UK farming industry. We pride ourselves on customer service and to us ‘the customer does come first’. Once again we look forward to exhibiting at Agriscot meeting customers from both near and far.

Biocell Agri

mycotoxins in feed and manage slurry. Completing our range is the highly popular Platinum range of mineral drenches which have seen faster finishing and significant improvements in health and fertility in both pedigree and commercial herds and flocks. For more information, contact Alec on 07718 905625

Biocell Agri are The Yeast Specialists. Our unique strain of live, micro-encapsulated yeast has full EU approval across the species and is specially formulated for top dressing or TMR inclusion and is designed to help to maximise home produced forages and therefore increase feed intake and improve feed conversion, resulting in better liveweight gains, milk yields, carcass grades and quality. Complementing this is a range of microbiological products to improve forage fermentation, handle the challenges of

DalBo UK

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At DALBO we’re delighted to be going to AgriScot again, Since DALBO UK was formed in 2010 the growth has been staggering. It’s very pleasing that, in such a competitive market, DALBO UK’s market share has

grown year on year. The most popular product sold in the UK by DALBO is the 12.3m Power Roll, closely followed by the 6.3 and 8.3m Maxiroll. The Maxiroll is commonly known as a ‘system’ roll as many attachments can be mounted to this frame enabling the machine to suit multiple applications. The most popular attachments are the hydraulically adjustable cracker boards and seeder units. One massive advantage of the Maxiroll is that the brackets necessary to take an attachment are always included in the ‘base’ machine, so it’s simple to add on an attachment. Our very popular DALBO Greenline will be at the Agriscot show again this year. The Greenline is fitted with ballast drums and comes in 6.3m & 8.3m. The ballast drums have a curved edge to prevent scuffing at the headlands, and like the Maxiroll can be fitted with attachments and seeder units enabling it to be more than ‘just’ a roller. DALBO has always been an innovative company as time after time it has launched market changing products. DALBO takes great pride in being at the forefront of technology and the introduction the snowflake Cambridge ring was a typical example of this. Offering the world market a 6 year guarantee on a Cambridge ring was unprecedented but the new snowflake design hasn’t disappointed. We look forward to welcoming you onto our stand at Agriscot.

favourable. The spreader has been purchased by a farmer in Aberdeenshire and features Isobus with weigh cells to increase accuracy and simplify in-field rate changes. Being able to apply valuable manures at the optimum time will help make the most of each application and reduce the need to store heaps in preparation for a contractor. Ben Johnson, UK and Ireland sales manager at G T Bunning and Sons, says farmers with a consistent supply of manure could benefit from owning a spreader with wider flotation tyres. “Spreading in perfect conditions isn’t always possible, and wider tyres can help operators apply nutrition to crops when they need it, helping with the overall field management. The flexibility to spread little and often, rather than save it up for a concentrated spreading window, as well as running a spreader on existing tractors, will have an appeal for many farmers.” Mr Johnson continues: “Weigh cells allow the operator to enter a target rate into the controller, which the spreader will then achieve by controlling the floor speed in relation to the tractor’s forward speed. This technology, coupled with the wider flotation tyres, offers users the best chance to apply nutrition at the right time for the crop and the soil.” Bunning will be on stand 215 Uplands Hall at AgriScot.

GT Bunning and Sons

Krone UK

G T Bunning and Sons will highlight how application flexibility and reduced soil compaction can be achieved through running wider flotation tyres on its manure spreaders to extend spreading windows. On its AgriScot stand will be a Bunning Lowlander 150 HY HBD featuring a set of BKT 900/60 R42 VF flotation tyres to help reduce soil compaction when conditions are less than 60

Krone UK will showcase the BiG X 1180 self-propelled forage harvester, the latest RX 370 forage wagon and Vendro 1120 C rotary rake at AgriScot 2023. BiG X 1180 Top of Krone’s forage harvester range, the BiG X 1180 offers the highest power output at 1,156hp, designed for use by large-scale farmers and contractors.

Powered by a 24.24l V12 engine, the PowerSplit technology allows operators to customise engine power to meet crop requirements for greater fuel efficiency. Crop entry is through six feed rollers to fully compress heavy crops before being carried further into the machine, for even feeding and supporting uniform chop quality. The forager is available with drums that have 20, 28, 36 or 40 blades, with higher blade counts suitable for finely chopping maize, grass and whole-crop for biogas. RX 370 Featuring the new OptiGrass cutting system and maximum throughputs, the RX 370 forage wagon sets new benchmarks for professional forage trailers. Grass is picked up and fed to the cutting rotor, integral auger and OptiGrass cutting unit by the 2.12m-wider EasyFlow pick-up. Fitted as standard, the RX 370 has Krone’s proven SpeedSharp system — the automatic flap disc grinder can sharpen 40 or 54 knife configurations in less than five minutes. Optional integral additive applicators are now available — a 200l tank features a pump and four spray nozzles, mounted between the pick-up and rotor. Vendro 1120 C The Vendro 1120 C is a high-output trailed tedder, with 11.2m working width, designed to meet demands of farmers and contractors tedding large areas of grass. The 10-rotor tedder boasts six tine arms per rotor and comes with OptiTurn tines as standard. These assist with clean crop pick-up, due to both tine fingers being parallel to the ground, providing even distribution even in heavy or inconsistent crops. For more information on Krone’s range, visit stand 169 at AgriScot on 22 November 2023 or www.krone-uk.com.

Our agricultural industry is under increasing pressure to boost productivity whilst lowering emissions. No doubt this is a challenge. It is also a unique opportunity for us in farming to take the lead in building Britain’s sustainable economy. At KW we want to help you keep your herds healthy and high performing, we offer expert advice through our nutritionists and FAR trained on farm advisors, unrivalled choice of feed and on farm technology. The perfect package to help you achieve sustainable performance. That’s why we’re a trusted partner to some of Britain’s top-performing farms. Each year we supply over 1m/t of product to Britain’s ruminant farmers with our range of home-produced feeds from the brewing, distilling and food processing industries, alongside more traditional straights and additives. Our advisors work closely with our raw material buyers and innovation teams to bring our customers some of Britain’s most in-demand, lowemission feeds, including our award-winning soya-alternative NovaPro and C*Trafford Gold – an all-year-round moist feed with a palatability and nutrient profile that makes it an ideal complement to any forage. We also offer Raw Material updates through our podcast, FeedCast. Brought to you by our in house trading team it highlights the highs and lows of each market fortnightly. Come and visit us at Agriscot 2023, Highland Hall, Stand 47

KW Feeds

Grass and slurry experts Major Equipment Ltd are returning to AgriScot 2023 with a selection of equipment from their extensive range of agricultural machinery. With products renowned for durability, reliability and easy operability, Major Equipment

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Major Equipment

designs equipment with the owner in mind – machines strongly feature versatility and low running costs, deciding factors for farms and businesses looking to reduce maintenance bills and machine downtimes. This is evident in the Cyclone Mower, an award winning rotary mower that bridges the gap between a traditional grass topper and flail mower. Designed to do the work of a flail, the Major Cyclone requires a 25% less power consumption than a typical flail, saving time and fuel costs for users. The heavy duty machine is increasingly the instrument of choice for clearing crop stubble, pasture topping, and land clearance in Scotland and around the world. Major Equipment Ltd will also be showcasing a 2600LGP Slurry tanker complete with a 7.5m Dribble Bar. The MAJOR 7.5m Dribble Bar delivers slurry right where it’s needed. This low emissions slurry applicator has 30 outlets spaced 260mm apart for even and precise distribution of nutrients in long and short grass. The MAJOR dribble bar can be retrofitted onto any tanker make or model without fabrication. Call to the Major stand at AgriScot to see the award-wining 2.8m and 5.6m Cyclone Mowers and a selection of slurry tankers and slurry application systems. For more information call Major Equipment Ltd on 01524 850501 or visit www.major-equipment.com. McAree Engineering

Elevate Your Farming Experience with V-Mac Silos: Your Ultimate Storage Solution! Prepare to revolutionize your farming storage at the Agriscot Show with V-Mac Silos and Paul Winder & Son! Discover the future of agricultural storage, where innovation meets reliability and expertise. Unique Features: V-Mac Silos stand tall with their unique

rolled body construction, ensuring exceptional strength and minimal feed blockages. Crafted from Magizinc and highly corrosionresistant steel, these silos outlast traditional galvanized options. With heavy-duty, hot-dipped galvanized steel angle iron for legs and bracing, V-Mac Silos offer unparalleled durability and longevity. With 56 years of dedicated craftsmanship, each silo is custom-built, offering a wide array of formats tailored to your specific needs. Benefits for Farmers: Experience unparalleled cost savings by purchasing feed in bulk, minimizing expenses over bagged alternatives. V-Mac Silos ensure reduced wastage, protecting your feed from spoilage and pests. Say goodbye to losses and hello to efficient, sustainable farming. Expertise of Paul Winder & Son: With 14 years of expertise as the V-Mac Agent in Scotland and North England, Paul Winder brings unparalleled knowledge to every installation. His expertise extends beyond installation; he’s your go-to person for designing and connecting your feed system to your new V-Mac Silo. Show Highlights: Explore our range of silos and tote bins on display. Engage with our experts, receive personalized advice, and find the perfect storage solution for your farm. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your farming efficiency! Contact Information: For inquiries or consultations, reach out to Paul Winder at vmacsilosuk@ gmail.com or contact Amie at 07779185562. Stay updated with V-Mac Silos on social media [@ VMacSilos] for the latest news and expert insights. Visit us at Agriscot and witness the future of farming storage unfold before your eyes. Let V-Mac Silos and Paul Winder & Son empower your farm for a prosperous tomorrow! McCormick

McCormick is a brand of Argo Tractors, a family-owned company based in Northern Italy. Manufacturing tractors in five plants, McCormick have invested heavily in R&D and technology meaning that the modern McCormick tractor is at the cutting edge of tractor design and performance. With a production capacity of up to 22,000 tractors a year, we manufacture 65% of components internally, with the rest being sourced from proven quality suppliers. With a range that spans 50310hp, we have a machine that suits every farming application, from simple straightforward tractors for livestock operations through to high horsepower tractors packed with the latest guidance and ISOBUS technology We offer a wide range of transmission options, with all our transmissions below 150hp built and designed inhouse including our award winning X6.4 which is the Utility Tractor of the Year 2023. We use Kohler and FPT engines, for both performance and reliability. Our global parts master warehouse in San Martino Italy, works 24/7 providing original parts support for all our tractors. Delivering to more than 100 countries worldwide, with the highest levels of availability we ensure that we can support our tractors in the field. Coupled with proactive maintenance and servicing from our dealers, we aim to maximise the uptime of our tractors on farm, night or day. With 5.5% of turnover being invested in Product Development, McCormick tractors are at the cutting edge of performance, design and technology. Considerable investment has been made in people, with over 60% of Argo Tractors UK staff being field based to work supporting dealers and customers. Our dealer network has expanded considerably to provide local coverage from dealers focussed on local support and outstanding service. For full details on our product range please visit www. McCormick.it/en.

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McHale Engineering

McHale will be displaying a wide range of machinery at this year’s AgriScot show on November 22nd. McHale will be showcasing their latest products by displaying the new McHale Fusion Vario Plus variable chamber baler wrapper along with the new Pro Pel Tedder Range. The McHale Fusion Vario Plus is a fully automatic variable chamber baler wrapper which can apply film or net wrap to the barrel of the bale, delivering optimum bale shape and bale density. The Vario Plus can provide high quality fodder through the use of the film binding system, resulting in better quality silage and a bale that is easier feed out. The new Fusion Vario Plus has received a more modern progressive look with its specially designed twin skin panels and features enhanced throughput, increased bale density and faster wrapping speeds. A focus has also been placed on operator comfort whilst still ensuring the reliability and heavy-duty build quality that McHale is renowned for remains. McHale are proud to present the new McHale ProPel range of tedders to the market which consists of two models: McHale ProPel M6-770 – 6 rotors with a working width of 7.7m (25’3”) and the McHale ProPel T8-1020 – 8 rotors with a working width of 10.2m (33’ 6”) The ProPel tedders are the ideal machines to lift and aerate even the heaviest crops. This results in the best quality fodder in the shortest time. The tedders have proven to be strong, robust machines which are highly efficient and reliable in all terrains. The McHale ProPel M6770 is an easily manoeuvrable mounted machine which features superb ground contouring and stability on the most uneven terrain to provide effective tedding throughout the crop. 61

The McHale ProPel T8 Tedder is a trailed machine that is fitted with a long carriage frame that connects the tedder to the tractor when in operation and serves as a carrier when in transit.

Agriscot. You can find us at stand 153 in the Highland Hall where you can be among the first to see the brand new TF27.6 To learn more about Merlo UK, visit https://merlo.co.uk

Merlo UK

Murray Machinery

AgriScot 2023 will see the launch of the brand-new Merlo Turbofarmer 27.6. This new model represents the ideal compromise between size and power, with compact dimensions whilst still offering excellent performance. Specifically designed and built for the agricultural market the TF27.6 offers several new features including an enhanced hydraulic system with an increase in hydraulic flow to 95l/min and a new high torque hydrostatic driveline with a maximum road speed of 40km/h. Despite its compact size the TF27.6 is also equipped with a full-size Merlo ROPS & FOPS equipped cab, as found across the Merlo handler range. Equipped with a new triggerless capacitive multifunction ergonomic joystick, these new models are also fitted as standard with the proven Merlo Adaptive Stability Control System (ASCS) with optional in cab LCD display with attachment recognition and weighing system. Celebrating its 30thAnniversary of trading in 2023, Merlo UK Ltd is the wholly owned subsidiary of Merlo Group, Italy. Supplying the Merlo dealer network and its British customers with telescopic handlers since 1993. Continued investments in the UK include a fully stocked Merlo parts warehouse offering next day parts delivery to the Merlo dealer network. With industry leading technical training facilities ensure a high degree of specialist knowledge is available to offer the best possible aftersales support to dealers and customers nationwide. Don’t miss out, we look forward to welcoming you to

Join the Murray Machinery team for the first time at this year’s AgriScot. Established in 1979, Murray Machinery Ltd operates from within Aberdeenshire, manufacturing material handling attachments to fit telescopic handlers, forklifts and tractor loaders. With an extensive product range of over 30 machines with numerous variations, specifically designed for the farming and agricultural sector. This includes implements such as muck forks, bale handling attachments, quick hitch adaptors, shear grabs, buckets and snow blades to name a few. Murray Machinery, along with just one other, were the recipient of the Gold Award for continuous outstanding merit at the 2023 Royal Highland Show Technical Innovation Awards for our Gravel Road Grader. The grader has various options available including bolt on hardox edges, hydraulically operated ripper teeth, hydraulically operated tilting frame, marker boards and rear lights. With the addition of a rear compactor roller, the gravel road grader is now able to carry out four different functions in the same machine. With careful adjustment of the levelling beams the grader is able to leave the road surface high in the middle or the machine can also put a camber or a slope on the whole width of the roads therefore helping to take care of rain water management. In utilising stone from the existing road surface, great savings can be made on time, effort and money spent on maintaining your gravel road. A version of our grader, as well other machinery such as a muck fork and

grab, shear grab and bale handling equipment will be on show on our stand. At the end of 2022, Murray Machinery Ltd was delighted to announce the completion of a management buyout by Graeme Duncan and James Burnett. Between them, Graeme and James have been involved with Murray Machinery for over 55 years. Graeme and James very much look forward to working with you as they enter this exciting new chapter of the business. Enquire today about your next piece of agricultural machinery – 01651 851636 or sales@murraymachinery.com Perry of Oakley

life. Their capacities range from 30 to 20,000 tonnes based on wheat at 750kg/ m³ and range from 3m (30 tonnes storage) to 32m diameter (20,000 tonnes storage), with custom diameters available to suit existing bases. The full range of silo accessories include catwalks, aeration systems for flat bottom and hopper bottom silos, silo discharge auger systems, agricultural or commercial sweep augers, and several systems for monitoring the stored grain are also available. With Perrys providing the full range of bulk materials handling, drying and storage you can purchase a fully integrated plant or stand-alone machines to meet your needs. To discuss your next project or your individual machine needs please contact Perry of Oakley today on 01404 890300 or sales@ perryofoakley.co.uk. Pottinger

All Your Grain Storage Needs Fulfilled by a British Manufacturer Whether you are looking for new storage from 1 to 20,000 tonnes or replacement silo accessories, Perry of Oakley, a British manufacturer, can supply it all. Perrys are known for their bulk materials handling and drying machinery but they also can supply a full range of square bins, silos and silo accessories. At the smaller end of the scale the Perry square hopper bottom bins can store from 1 to 100 tonnes (based on wheat at 750kg/ m3). The bins are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use and can be manufactured with forklift channels. The Perry self-assembly square bins range from 1.2m to 4m in height. With capacities from 35 to 3,000 tonnes (based on wheat at 750kg/m³) the hopper bottom silos are in the middle of the range and are available with both 45 and 60 degree hoppers. Diameters are from 3m to 13m, with custom diameters available to suit existing bases. At the top end of the capacity range are the flat bottom silos with a modular design, manufactured using high-grade steel protected by galvanising ensuring a long service

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At this year’s AgriScot event Pottinger will be showcasing the new Aerosem VT 6000 DD 6m power harrow drill combination. This latest model in the Aerosem lineup will be displayed alongside machines from our grassland range in the Highland Hall. The 6m Aerosem VT has been designed with a longitudinal mounted pressurised hopper which holds a capacity of 4,600 litres and is divided 50:50 along the direction of travel. This configuration enables seed with fertiliser, or seed on its own to be applied at high application rates thanks to the pressurised hopper system. Each side of the hopper features a separate metering unit, but feeds the same single shoot seed line. The metering units can be controlled independently of each other, whilst two components can be applied simultaneously. Moreover, two application maps can be used for site-specific drilling. All Aerosem VT models are equipped with 800 mm diameter high-volume packer tyres, this is to avoid a bulldozing effect,

reduce ground pressure and rolling resistance. Optimum consolidation of the seed rows is made possible by the large area of surface contact in combination with the special grooved tyre profile. The additional damping of the packer ensures smoother running during operation. The DUAL DISC coulter system ensures precise seed placement thanks to the large coulters discs which are slightly offset. The equal-length coulter arms with long coulter offset are mounted on sealed bearings to ensure maximum reliability even with high volumes of plant residues. The coulters cut right through, even at high driving speeds thanks to a coulter pressure of up to 60 kg. The V-shaped seed slot prevents the seed from rolling and ensures consistent seed spacing. This new model addition offers advanced features and capabilities for efficient and precise seeding in challenging conditions. Powered Pasture

Powered Pasture look forward to seeing you at Agriscot 2023 – Stand 43 Working with world-leading companies such as Gallagher, Taragate and Strainright, Powered Pasture offers a wide range of tried and tested electric fencing solutions for all your farming needs. The Taragate range is designed and produced by a dairy farmer who understands first hand the required performance. Our Diary specific range offers excellent products to maximise feed allocation and optimise feed management through the tools to deliver: · Permanent subdivision including laneway systems · Temporary fencing for further subdivisions · Feeding of standing forage crops Our top selling Taragate products will be on show at our Stand 43: · Tarragate multi strand electric gate and bungee gates · Tarragate geared reels and pigtail posts. 64

Having the correct power source behind any electric fence is paramount, we work with world leading Gallagher Energisers. Whether it be a mains system or integrated solar energiser, we have a solution which will meet all your needs. Our expert team will help size your energiser and will be on hand to calculate earthing required to maximise the energisers performance. Visit our expert team on Stand 43, we would be delighted to discuss your requirements. Powerwasher Services

Engineering & Manufacturing, Oil, Gas & Marine and more. We are excited to showcase our equipment and prove our products do the job for farmers. Some of these can be seen in the milking area at the show where they have Powerwashers working to keep things clean behind the scenes. Pop on the stand where you will be made welcome and can see the machines or pick up some literature. If you are interested in replacing any of your equipment the PWS team can give you advice, arrange a no obligation demonstration or discuss looking after the machine that you have at the moment even if they did not supply it. Scottish Machinery Rings

in the latest networking and IT infrastructure as well as taking a proactive approach to growth to bring scale and innovation to deliver new services. The range of services offered continues to grow to meet the changing needs of the industry – they are effectively a one stop shop for family farms whatever their size or enterprise type. If it happens on your farm and you need help, they are keen to be involved. As the success of Machinery Rings has grown, they have reinvested in their local communities. The list of projects is extensive and includes supporting RHET, RSABI and Young Farmers training as well as developing an extensive pre-apprenticeship scheme for school leavers. If you want to know more, please visit our AgriScot stand No 35 in the Highland Hall. Tramspread

At PWS, we are a family run business with three generations of the family specialising in the sale, hire, repair and service of cleaning, heating and workshop equipment, offering a complete solution. Our range includes Powerwashers, Heaters, Floor Sweepers, Scrubber Driers, Vacuums, Dust Fighters, Compressors, Generators, Water Pumps, Cleaning Chemicals & Bespoke Builds. We pride ourselves on providing high quality products at competitive prices with a second to none back-up service to our Scotland wide customers. We have a fleet of 10 service vans and 2 sales representatives on the road daily, covering Scotland. This year we celebrated 40 years of delivery award-winning service to our customers and are proud to say that hard work, determination and the supply of quality products has put us miles ahead of competitors and number one for our loyal customers. PWS was started by Jack Whitecross, a dairyman at the time, Jack has a vast understanding of the Agricultural market. Over the years we have made our way in to other industries and now have machines and equipment suitable for most industries, including Agricultural & Horticultural, Transport & Haulage, Hospitality & Leisure,

Machinery Rings were first established in 1987 after a series of challenging harvests forced farmers to think about new ways to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Starting first in the Scottish Borders with 23 innovative farmers and contractors, the concept rapidly spread to other areas of Scotland. There are now nine Machinery Rings covering the length and breadth of the country servicing over 7,300 members with an annual pooled throughput of over £100 million. Each Machinery Ring responds to the individual needs of members but collectively, the services delivered fall into four key categories; machinery contracting, labour, training and inputs. This collective approach helped to secure an exclusive Case IH Rebate available to any member of a Scottish Machinery Ring purchasing a new Case IH tractor, forklift, combine or baler. The partnership, initiated in July 2009, is now in its 15th year of operation and during that time has returned over £1million to Machinery Ring members. Helping farms increase efficiency, improve skills and reduce costs remain top Machinery Ring priorities as the industry moves to a more sustainable future. To achieve this, Rings are investing

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Separators have the potential to reduce storage requirements by up to 30%. This is significant, especially in the high rainfall areas. When used with covered storage, a separator also has the benefit of keeping slurry more homogenous in the absence of rainwater. Slurry specialist Terry Baker, managing director of Tramspread Ltd, explains: “Separation makes life easier in so many ways. Slurry solids are largely removed and the remaining liquid, which retains up to 75% of the slurry’s nutrients, is more efficient to pump and will be less demanding on pumping equipment. A separated slurry is easier to apply with greater precision because it will be delivered to the applicator more evenly which will reduce the chance of leaf contamination. Separated slurry is also easier for the soil to absorb, which reduces the risk of run off and will see more nutrients provided to the crop.” The 2027 target to cover slurry will also make mixing and access

to slurry more complicated. Mr Baker suggests that covering lagoons is not enough to ensure the best quality slurry is retained for crops. “If existing storage is simply covered to meet the impending legislation it will quite literally be hiding a problem. Slurry stores should be seen as a way to manage a valuable fertiliser, not deposit waste. Bag tanks are a good alternative and come in sizes from 600 to 7000 cubic metres and have internal stirrers which keeps slurry homogenous and makes pumping slurry much easier.” A separated, well mixed, homogeneous slurry lends itself to a more precision application which can be achieved with tankers or umbilical systems. With splash plates banned in some areas of the UK and likely to be banned everywhere from 2025, Mr Baker advocates precision application methods. “Tramspread offers a range of dribble bar and trailing shoe systems both with and without macerators. Dribble bars offer a more effective and accurate way to apply slurry like a fertiliser and if slurry is kept homogenous, tested for nutrient value, and applied with a flow meter it can be a suitable alternative to artificial fertiliser,” he concludes.

Trident Feeds

Using forage efficiently key to maximising margins this winter Making the most of winter rations A focus on the efficiency of feed utilisation to maximise margins and milk from forage will be critical to dairy producers this winter, advises Trident Feeds. With significantly lower milk prices this year, and a milk to feed price ratio which has fallen to 1.2, against a preferred figure closer to 1.5, there is no room for inefficiencies. “Dairy producers need to maintain the highest quality of feeding, focusing on what will promote efficient feed utilisation,” explains Charlotte Ward, Trident Feeds ruminant technical manager. Supplement more energy Ms Ward says it will be important to focus on getting the cow to take as much as she can from every mouthful. For example, a more fibrous and less digestible forage, with high lignin levels and lower energy and protein, may negatively impact intakes and milk production.

“With those high-lignin silages, there will be a requirement to supplement more energy in the rations to maintain production. A good solution is the digestible fibre in sugar beet feed, providing a balanced source of energy supply,” she says. Sugar beet is highly palatable, with the additional molasses added to many sugar beet products helping to further drive intakes and increase production. The digestible fibre in sugar beet is also known to promote milk fat production. Protein utilisation It is also crucial to consider the source of rumen-bypass protein (DUP) in the ration. “The priority with protein is to meet cow requirements without oversupplying RDP. The British rapeseed expeller NovaPro fits the bill perfectly, with its higher DUP:RDP ratio in comparison to soya, allowing for improved protein utilisation,” says Ms Ward. “With the concerning milk to feed price ratio and lower milk prices, the pressure on margins means feed efficiency and utilisation will be critical to help maximise milk from forage. Sugar beet feed and NovaPro can help boost that efficiency,” she adds. Visit Trident Feeds at AgriScot 2023 (23 November), stand No. 52.

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Vogelsang

Leading manufacturer of agriculture equipment, Vogelsang, is showcasing its slurry separator on stand 200 at this year’s Agriscot. The XSplit offers farmers a screw press separator that is both economical to run and easy to maintain. This allows farmers to separate their slurry into solid form, which can be used as dry bedding, and liquid manure which is then easily spread to land. On the XSplit, the drive is arranged on the solid matter outlet side, which gives the XSplit an excellent cost-benefit ratio and no need for an extra shaft seal. This reduces both the cost of spare parts and the time required for maintenance work. The sealing disc in the pressing area ensures optimal resistance to the pressure applied by the press screw, ensures uniform and reliable plug formation without extra aids with nearly zero leakage. A range of sieve variants suited to various consistencies is available, guaranteeing extremely reliable separation results. Liam Rayner, Agricultural Manager for Vogelsang, said: “Farmers are getting cleverer with their liquid manure and are looking for helpful ways to manage and store their cattle slurry. Vogelsang’s separator is the perfect machine to help farmers with this. “The XSplit achieves a dry matter content of up to 40%, making it ideal for animal bedding and easier for transportation. Separating also decreases the amount of liquid manure stored in the lagoon and significantly reduces the amount of fibre spread to land. Anyone interested should come and see it for themselves.” 65

ARTICLE

Tackling the Farming Machinery Crisis: How Repairing Can Help With inflation of up to 30% in agricultural input costs reversing decades of falling prices, it has certainly been impacting the profit margins of farmers. While attempting to combat these increases, businesses in the agricultural industry need to avoid the cost of replacing expensive and integral equipment. While farmers gained a boost with the announcement of £31 million being made available by the government for the purchasing of new equipment and machinery, reducing any impact on profit margins is crucial. Choosing whether to repair or replace machinery will benefit different businesses at different times, according to Andrew Powles, Managing Director at FPE Seals, worldwide distributor and manufacturer of polymeric seals and “When it comes to machinery, there are steps to take which can keep machinery working. If you understand the age of the machine or the components, how integral it is to the business, and the job it performs, repairing or replacing can both be viable options. “Replacing frequently worn parts such as seals, hydraulic cylinder parts and gaskets can be a great, cost-effective option to keep a machine running and avoid downtime – particularly when paired with implementations and strategies including predictive maintenance. Naturally, a replacement will sometimes be the sensible option, but only when repair options are unfeasible and machinery is completely at the end of its lifespan.” Reducing downtime Downtime in any business, in any industry, can have a knockon effect across not just the organisation, but also up and down the supply chain. Effective and quality repair work can reduce 66

the amount of downtime within the business, so strategies such as predictive maintenance are employed to avoid this outcome. Predictive maintenance uses technology, real-time reporting and data in order to monitor parts and components of machinery that may be susceptible to faults and address these before they develop into critical production issues. Maintaining and repairing machinery throughout the production cycle can have a positive effect on both the output and financial performance of a business. Downtime is reduced – well-maintained machinery will allow production to continue, demands kept up with, and employees utilised for the full duration of shifts. In times of crisis, when new machinery is ill-afforded, repairing and maintaining to reduce downtime can be crucial. The reduction of downtime in the farming industry is huge – often, jobs are time-sensitive and certain tasks can only take place in small time frames. Repair work can enable these times are kept to, meaning no further impact on profit margins and financial performance. Employee Welfare and Safety Further benefits of repairing agricultural equipment relate to the safety and satisfaction of the workforce responsible for operation. This has positive impacts in more ways than preventing injuries while at work. The nature of agricultural products means machinery is designed to get jobs done quickly and effectively, and that comes with an element of risk and chance of injury. Of course, safety procedures are in place, but keeping machinery up to the right standard and checking for the need of repairs will enhance the safety of operatives.

Steve-Ellis-Managing-Director-FPE-Seals

Ultimately, safeguarded employees will feel happier within their organisation. There are benefits to this too, which can also be traced back to effective machine repairs. While the reduction in downtime is excellent news for overall business performance, it also helps with company morale. Employees awaiting new machinery to arrive may find themselves with little to do, be utilised in areas of the business outside of their expertise and generally suffer a lack of job satisfaction. By keeping machinery running with repairs, the business will be able to operate smoothly, with operatives working to their schedules. Production will continue, with workers confident they are using well-maintained, fitfor-purpose machinery, rather than suffering a breakdown and waiting for unspecified periods of time for a replacement. Cost-Effectiveness Of course, with the rising costs of other farming equipment and necessities, getting the most costeffective option is imperative. Even with government funding, farmers will still benefit from saving money whenever plausible. The option to repair rather than replace is often the most cost-effective option. Predictive

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maintenance can massively reduce or even remove downtime. In cases where a machine needs to be out of service for repairs, the time will be less than waiting for a new machine to be ordered, delivered and installed. Various factors, particularly if shipping overseas, can affect delivery times, making waits unpredictable. Additionally, there is the cost of training to consider. Andrew Powles, Managing Director went on to say: “New machinery may be evolved from the previous model. Even in these instances, staff may require hours of training to be brought up to speed. Repairing a machine everyone is familiar with, providing it is still capable of highlevel performance, means that work and production can commence as soon as the repair is completed.” Effective repairing can be a great way to combat downtime and cost problems in the agricultural and farming sector. Reducing downtime, improving the safety of staff, and saving money are all benefits that can be attributed to effective repair and maintenance. Coupled with techniques such as real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance, repairs can ensure that new machinery is only required in the rare cases when the machine and components no longer make fixing it viable.”

Merlo UK celebrates 30 years in style Turning the capital green Merlo UK took on central London recently to celebrate their 30th Anniversary in style

Greeting those arriving at the imposing venue the Renaissance St Pancras Hotel was a Merlo telehandler trio consisting of current and historic models. A fully electric 2023 eWorker 25.590, was flanked by the recently restored classic 30-year-old P60.10XS and a current model MultiFarmer 44.9 telehandler. Almost 130 attendees from the UK dealer network, industry associations and invited guests were joined by members of both Merlo UK & Merlo Group staff. The evening kicked off with a reception in the gothic themed upper rooms of the hotel seeing speeches from Paolo Merlo, President and Massimo Biei, Business Manager of Merlo Group alongside Shaun Groom, General Manager of Merlo UK reflecting on the past 30 successful years of operations in the UK. The guests were able to visit the Gallery Room which saw 30 years’ worth of Merlo memories come to life. A company timeline display, photo montages and archival video footage dating back as far as 1993 offered a fascinating review of the Merlo brands development in the UK. Following dinner, a number of awards were presented to dealers that had notched up significant periods of service with the Merlo franchise. Among the awards presented by company President Paolo Merlo were two for 30 years as a Merlo dealer, West Wales dealer Brodyr Evans Bros and Devon based CR Willcocks, picking up the honours both having been with Merlo UK since its inception.

The final award of the evening was quite unique in that it went to an individual who had been selling Merlo since 1988 (prior to the founding of Merlo UK). Jeff Jones now of North Yorkshire based Brian Robinson Machinery received an award for 35 continuous years of Merlo sales. Jeff sold new in 1993 the now fully restored P60.10XS model, on display that evening in front of the hotel, it was great to be able to reunite the two of them after 30 years. Reflecting on the evening Shaun Groom, General Manager of Merlo UK commented. “It has been great to be able to acknowledge in style all those present and that have gone before us in the last 30 years in bringing Merlo UK to where it is today. Whether be that as a customer, dealer, colleague or industry partner we are truly grateful for the support. Here is to the next 30 years!”

Telehandlers on display

Hansom Hall

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Beatha an eilean

Fàilte - gu ìre - air gluasad air a’ Bhile Le Murray MacLeòid Tha Caidreachas Croitearachd na h-Alba air fàilte a chur air an ath cheum air adhart a dh’ionnsaigh Bile ùr Aiteachais, ach tha iad fhathast draghail nach eil gu leòr de stiùireadh mionaideach ri fhaighinn. Dh’fhoillsich Riaghaltas na h-Alba bunrachd airson am bile agus an achd ùr a stèidheachadh agus dùil gun tig a-nis a sgrudadh le Pàrlamaid na h-Alba an ath bhliadhna. Tha am bile ag amas air siostam a chruthachadh airson airgead àiteachais a roinn a-mach gu tuathanaich is croitearan - luach mu £800 millean sa bhliadhna - le làn dùil gum bi barrachd ri dhèanamh a-thaobh na h-àrainneachd. Thàinig dàil air am bile rona seo agus tha mòran sa ghnìomhachas fhathast mì-thoilichte nach eil càil soilleir mu dè bhios aca ri dhèanamh son dleasdanasan na h-Achd a choinneachadh agus an airgead fhaighinn. Thuirt Donna Nic a’ Ghobhainn, àrd-oifigear a’ Chaidreachais: “Tha bliadhna ann a-nis bho chur an Riaghaltas co-chomhairleachaidh air adhart air na molaidhean aca san àm ri teachd agus Brexit a-nis air ar cùlaibh agus tha sinn toilichte gun tig a-nis Bile a chur air beulaibh na pàrlamaid. “Tha am Bile ag amas air leasachadh a thoirt air coimhearsnachdan dùthchail agus àite a thoirt dha modhan obrachd àiteachais a tha leanntainneach agus seasmhach. Tha fios againn gun urrainn dha croitearachd sin a choileanadh ma tha thig an taic cheart a chur an-sàs.” Tha am bile gabhail àite Poileasaidh Choitcheann an 68

Donna Nic a’ Ghobhainn, àrd-oifigear Caidreachas Croitearachd na h-Alba

Aiteachais a bh’ann leis an EU agus e a’ toirt a-staigh mòran nithean seach àiteachais fhèin, mar eisimpleir roinn a’ bhidhe is na dibhe, coilltearachd, coimhearsnachdan dùthchail, foghlam is trèanadh. “Tha rudan gu math taiceil anns a’ Bhile mar dleasdanas a

chur air ministearan Plana Taic Dùthchail chur an-sàs gach còig blaidhna, rud a tha na chofhartach dhuinn,” thuirt Donna. “Tha e cuideachd a’ cur mullach air na gheibh aon duine ann an taic, ged a tha e na bhriseadh dùil nach do ghabh iad ri moladh paigheadh nas airde a

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thoirt son a’ chiad cuibhreann de dh’fhearann agus cumaidh sinn oirnn ag iarraidh sin fhad ‘s a tha am Bile dol tron phàrlamaid. Tha mòran fhathast ri rèiteach.” Ach, thuirt i: “Tha e tàmailteach is draghail cho beag ‘s thatar ag ràdh mu dheidhinn croitearachd, a dh’aoidheoin cho mòr ‘s a bha a’ Chaidreachas an lùib nan còmhraidhean. “Saoileadh thu gu bheil Riaghaltas na h-Alba a’ tuigse cho cudromach ‘s a tha cuid a dhòighean obrachd dhan àrainneachd, ach chan eil sin ri fhaicinn fhathast anns na molaidhean. “Tha sinn an dòchas gun cum an Riaghaltas ris a’ gheallaidh aca gum bidh cothrom aig croitearan suidhe timcheall a’ bhùird le luchd dealbh nam poileasaidh agus oifigearan ach am faighear air argumaid làidir a dhèanamh as leth croitearachd.” Thuirt ministear nan cùisean dùthchail Mairi Gougeon: “Tha e na chlàch mhile cudromach a bhith a’ toirt am Bile a tha seo chun a’ phàrlamaid agus sinn ag athnuadhachadh na siostaman taic ach am faigh tuathanaich is croitearan nàdair a chuideachadh agus na tha iad a’ cur a-mach de thruailleadh a ghearradh. “Tha mi tuigse gu feum a’ ghnìomhachas saorsa an dràsta agus anns an am ri teachd son sin - agus na dùbhlain eile a tha man coinneimh - a choinneachadh. “Fhad ‘s a tha sinn a’ gluasad air adhart bidh cothrom ann sin a dhèanamh. Gabhaidh sinn an ùine a dh’fheumas sinn airson obrachadh gu dlùth leis na daoine air an toir seo a’ bhuaidh is motha son dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil e ceart.”

Ffermio Cymru

Asulox decision a blow to bracken control in Wales, says NFU Cymru An announcement that a key plant protection product will no longer be available to support Welsh farmers’ efforts to control bracken has been described as ‘a blow’ by NFU Cymru. UPL Europe Ltd., the manufacturer of the herbicide Asulox, has announced it has made the decision to cease further work on a permanent solution for the use of asulam (the active ingredient in Asulox) in the control of bracken. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Chemical Regulatory Division (CRD) previously outlined additional testing that must be conducted by the manufacturers as a requirement for the 2023 Asulox

Emergency Authorisation. UPL Europe Ltd. wrote to the industry stating that ‘after careful consideration, including the significant investment needed to continue this [testing] work, UPL Limited has now taken the difficult decision not to go ahead’. This decision therefore effectively removes the possibility of any future full or emergency authorisations for the use of asulam in bracken control. NFU Cymru Rural Affairs Board Hedd Pugh said: “This announcement is a real blow to Welsh farmers. Bracken control is essential for both animal and human health on my farm, as well as many others in Wales.

It maintains land for grazing, ensures drinking water quality and fosters biodiversity. Bracken beds provide an ideal habitat for sheep ticks, with the associated tick-borne diseases posing a threat to the health of people (especially Lyme disease), livestock and wildlife. Bracken control is also essential in the establishment of new tree plantations. Remaining options for control include the use of herbicides containing amidosulfron within specific time frames, and mechanical methods such as rolling, bruising or cutting. However such mechanical methods are often unviable in many situations on steep rocky slopes, of which there are plenty in Wales.”

Earlier this year Welsh Government accepted the recommendation from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to refuse an application for an emergency authorisation for the use of Asulox to control bracken in Wales in 2023. Use of the herbicide had previously been approved in Wales for each of the previous 10 years. The 2023 application refusal in Wales mirrored the decision taken in Scotland, however an emergency authorisation was granted in England to allow the use of Asulox to control bracken. The NFU and NFU Cymru will meet with the sector representatives of the Bracken Control Group to discuss next steps in relation to bracken and its control.

Budget cut announcement a ‘real worry’ for Welsh farmers NFU Cymru says an announcement by Welsh Government that the Rural Affairs budget will be cut by £37.5m will be a ‘real worry’ for farmers in Wales. Tuesday 17th October saw the Minister for Finance, Rebecca Evans deliver a statement to the Welsh Parliament outlining cuts to several Welsh Government portfolios to address a significant shortfall in the wider Welsh budget. As a result, the Rural Affairs revenue budget has been revised down by £17.3m, while the Rural Affairs capital budget will decrease by £20.2m.

NFU Cymru has said that these cuts will place further financial challenges on farm businesses who continue to deliver for the people and communities of Wales. Responding to today’s announcement, NFU Cymru Deputy President Abi Reader said: “It is a real worry for the industry to see this loss to the Rural Affairs budget today. It’s important to note that these cuts come against a backdrop of funding to farmers having effectively fallen by 30% over the past decade as a result of inflation.

“The entire Rural Affairs budget, including agriculture, currently makes up just 2% of Welsh Government spending. For this, farmers manage 80% of the land area of Wales, underpin an £8.5 billion food and farming sector and make an unparalleled contribution to the economic, environmental, social and cultural wellbeing of rural Wales – we believe this represents a good return on investment. “Welsh farming is facing unprecedented challenges, with input costs now 40% higher than they were in 2020. At the same time, farmers need to continue

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to produce high quality safe and affordable food for all in society, helping to meet both domestic and global security challenges, while simultaneously caring for our farmed environment and working towards our ambition of net zero agriculture. At a time when our farmers are facing a number of high-priority demands, our government has today cut our budget by 7.8% “The document we have seen today provides only an overview of the main outcomes of the review, with further details of precisely where the axe is to fall within the Rural Affairs budget 69

Myfyrwraig gyntaf yn ennill gwobr er mwyn rhoi hwb i filfeddygaeth yng Nghymru Mae’r enillydd cyntaf gwobr newydd i hybu milfeddygaeth yng Nghymru wedi’i gyhoeddi gan Brifysgol Aberystwyth. Phoebe Smythe, sydd yn 21 mlwydd oed ac yn nhrydedd flwyddyn ei hastudiaethau, yw enillydd cyntaf ‘Gwobr Nantyreira’ a sefydlwyd diolch i rodd hael gan yr amaethwr a ffigwr blaenllaw mewn bywyd cyhoeddus yng Nghymru Tom Jones OBE. Dyfernir y wobr flynyddol newydd, sy’n werth £300, i fyfyriwr sy’n esiampl i fyfyrwyr eraill yn eu hastudiaethau, cydbwysedd rhwng bywyd a gwaith, cefnogi cyfoedion a chyfrannu i’r proffesiwn ac i Ysgol Gwyddor Filfeddygol Prifysgol Aberystwyth. Dechreuodd y garfan gyntaf o fyfyrwyr milfeddygol yn Aberystwyth yn 2021 ac agorwyd yr Ysgol gan y Brenin Charles III. Hi yw’r unig Ysgol Gwyddor Filfeddygol yng Nghymru. Wrth siarad am ennill y wobr, dywedodd y fyfyrwraig filfeddygol Phoebe Smythe, sydd o Swydd Caerwrangon yn wreiddiol: “Rwy’n hynod falch o ennill y wobr hon ac yn ddiolchgar iawn am yr holl gefnogaeth dwi wedi ei chael gan Brifysgol Aberystwyth. Mae gwobrau fel hyn yn gwneud gwahaniaeth mawr i ni fel myfyrwyr. Rwy’n gobeithio bydd pobl ifanc eraill, wrth sylweddoli bod gwobrau o’r math ar gael, yn cael eu cymell i astudio’r pwnc.” Dywedodd Tom Jones OBE: “Pwrpas y wobr yw annog pobl i ymuno â’r 70

cwrs yn Aberystwyth. Mae’n gyfraniad bach sy’n ceisio cydnabod rhagoriaeth myfyrwyr sydd ar y cwrs. “Rwy’ wedi enwi’r wobr ar ôl y cwm lle ges i’m magu – Nantyreira – sy’n gymuned amaethyddol y bu bygythiad i’w boddi hi ar gyfer cronfa ddŵr yn y 1970au. Mae milfeddygon ardderchog yn yr ardal, ac mae’r ffermwyr yn ddibynnol arnyn nhw. “Mae’n hynod o bwysig bod y milfeddygon da hyn yn cydweithio gyda ffermwyr yng Nghymru er mwyn iddyn nhw allu cynhyrchu bwyd, sydd, wedi’r cwbl, yn holl bwysig i’n cymdeithas gyfan.” Dywedodd yr Athro Darrell Abernethy Pennaeth Ysgol Gwyddor Filfeddygol Prifysgol Aberystwyth: “Llongyfarchiadau lu i Phoebe ar ragori yn ei hastudiaethau yma yn Aberystwyth. Hoffwn i hefyd ddiolch i Tom a’r rhoddwyr hael iawn eraill, sy’n parhau i wneud cyfraniad mor bwysig i waith yr Ysgol“Mae amaeth a’r diwydiannau cysylltiedig yn chwarae rhan bwysig yn economi Cymru ac mae cyfrifoldeb arnom ni i ddarparu’r bobl a’r sgiliau a fydd yn cyfrannu at sicrhau eu bod yn llwyddo am flynyddoedd i ddod. Mae’r Ysgol Gwyddor Filfeddygol yn ychwanegu darn newydd hollbwysig i’r jig-so, un sy’n adeiladu gwytnwch yn yr economi wledig drwy addysg ac ymchwil mewn cyfnod o newid a heriau mawr posibl.”

Ffermio Cymru due to be confirmed in February. It does appear, however, that the Rural Investment Programme will bear the brunt of the cuts. This programme supports investment in the environment and climate change through productivity improvements on farm, such as supporting farmers to undertake water quality improvements on farm. Welsh Government’s own impact assessment figures suggest that up-front investment in infrastructure to meet the Welsh Government’s own water quality regulations was estimated at £360m - and that was prior

to the inflationary pressures we have seen these past two years. It is really concerning to see that it appears that funding from this budget line now appears to be cut. “NFU Cymru has consistently raised concerns about the delivery of Rural Development funding, initially under EU programmes and more recently under the Rural Investment Support Schemes. We would reiterate our call for an independent review into Welsh Government’s delivery of Rural Development funding.”

NFU Cymru welcomes Welsh Government’s Enhanced Nutrient Management Approach NFU Cymru has welcomed Welsh Government’s announcement that an Enhanced Nutrient Management approach to lessen the detrimental impact that the Control of Agricultural Pollution Regulations on Welsh food production is to be introduced later this year. Following consultation earlier this year, Welsh Government has confirmed the introduction of an Enhanced Nutrient Management approach which will allow farmers to notify Natural Resources Wales (NRW) that they will be applying up to 250kg nitrogen per hectare

from livestock manures subject to additional measures being undertaken. Commenting on the announcement, NFU Cymru President Aled Jones said: “NFU Cymru has long been clear that the 170kg per hectare holding nitrogen limit from livestock manures introduced as part of the Control of Agricultural Pollution Regulations will negatively affect Welsh farming and the wider supply chain, operating as a de facto stocking limit reducing the numbers of livestock that farm businesses can carry.

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Ffermio Cymru “The consequences of the 170kg/ha nitrogen limit (from livestock manures) imposed by the regulations has been all the more concerning given that many farming businesses are experiencing pressure on their margins due to the effects of agri-inflation and the cost-ofliving crisis. “Global volatility is threatening the stability of the world’s food production, food security and energy security and it is clear that action is needed to protect our food producing capacity. In this context, we welcome Welsh Government’s announcement to introduce an Enhanced Nutrient Management approach that has been agreed as part of the Co-operation Agreement with Plaid Cymru. “The evidence shows that an increase to a 250kg/ha annual holding nitrogen limit from livestock manures can be justified and will not damage the environment. The need for a long-term sustainable solution that enables farmers to operate above the 170kg nitrogen per hectare limit from livestock manures beyond 2024 cannot be overstated. We welcome Welsh Government’s commitment to carry out an economic assessment and to look at alternative measures as part of the four yearly review of the regulations. This review needs to be expedited to ensure it is completed and actions implemented ahead of 31st December 2024, we are committed to working with Welsh Government to take this forward.”

FARMING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE Next issue out January 2024

Funding to help improve safety on Welsh farms Cyllid i helpu i wella diogelwch ar ffermydd Cymru

A farmer who sustained serious injuries on her family farm has welcomed news the Welsh Government is providing £80,000 to help improve the safety of farmers, their families, and visitors to farms in Wales. North Wales sheep and beef farmer Beca Glyn has first-hand experience of what can go wrong on a farm after sustaining serious injuries in a quad bike accident on her family farm in 2018. The funding is being awarded to the Wales Farm Safety Partnership, a collaboration of key agricultural organisations helping to drive down the number of serious incidents and deaths on Welsh farms. The £80,000 will be used to raise awareness of farm safety by attending events, working with schools and Wales YFC, as well as in a new children’s book on staying safe on farms. Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths made the announcement on a visit to Richard Pilkington’s farm at Shordley Hall near Hope in Flintshire. Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths said: “Our farmers do a fantastic job, but we know the work they do can be dangerous too. “We have sadly seen the stories of tragic incidents on farms in Wales and one incident is one too many. “This funding will be important in raising awareness of the dangers on farms, helping farmers,

Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, and Trefnydd Lesley Griffiths

their families and visitors to understand the risks and how to stay safe.” Richard Pilkington at Shordley Hall, which is a 385-hectare dairy, arable and sheep farm, said: “It’s been great to welcome the Minister to Shordley Farm to show the important work which takes place here. “Many farmers often work alone which can make working safely a real challenge. I’m pleased the funding being announced will help promote the importance of safety on farms across Wales.” Beca Glyn, who is a newly appointed ambassador for the Wales Farm Safety Partnership, has been on a mission to raise the profile of farm safety and promote safe working practices since her incident. Beca has joined fellow Ambassadors, experienced farmers Alun Elidyr Edwards and Glyn Davies, who were

appointed in 2019 and have since worked tirelessly to promote best practice to farmers in Wales. Beca Glyn, who farms at Ysbyty Ifan where her family run a flock of 1,000 sheep and herd of beef cattle, said: “I think it helps for farmers to listen to someone who has made a mistake and has had first hand personal experience of what can go wrong and the consequences of that. “Working with Alun and Glyn, we want to spread the important message of how farmers can get better at making their farms safer places to work and live, and today’s announcement will help with this aim.” She believes farm safety is moving in the right direction in Wales, but there is still more to be done. Beca added: “We can all improve, whatever our farm or system, not only for our sakes but for our families and visitors to the farm like our vets.’’

ARTICLE

GFD ramps up efforts to decarbonise Scottish farming with fully funded AD proposal An East-Lothian based company is doubling down on its efforts to help farmers across Scotland and the north of England cut their carbon emissions and diversify their income through on-farm anaerobic digestion (AD). GFD is an experienced AD plant developer and thanks to a new partnership with leading European renewables investor SWEN Capital Partners, has launched a campaign to allow more farmers to benefit from biogas – at zero cost. “Historically, one of the biggest issues preventing more farmers from getting involved in AD has been funding, with plants often being planned without any firm source of capital in place,” says GFD’s Managing Director, Marc McElhinney. “With more than 14 years’ experience in the renewables sector, we’ve

promises to overcome traditional barriers to AD uptake – not just funding, but also grid access – making biogas viable for parts of the farming community that may previously have been excluded.

overcome that hurdle with a fully funded AD project proposal, backed by one of the biggest funders of renewable projects in Europe. We’re delighted to bring this to the market and help more farmers in Scotland and northern England diversify their income while decarbonising their farming operations.” The need for sustainable agriculture There are currently 369 biogas plants in the UK accepting agricultural feedstocks, making it the AD industry’s most common type of biogas plant . However, with agriculture estimated to have been the source of 48% of the UK’s methane emissions in 2020 – an increase of 1.3% on 2019 – and proposed Common Agricultural Policy replacement support schemes across all four

Marc McElhinney, Managing Director of GFD

nations embedding sustainability within actions for payment , the need for more environmentallyfriendly farming solutions is only increasing. To this end, GFD’s brandnew offering could not be more timely. Open to farms of all types and sizes that meet the company’s key criteria (as set out below), it

GFD’s fully funded approach to AD is making biogas viable for parts of the farming community that may previously have been excluded

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Overcoming barriers to success “We know that lots of farms are potentially producing suitable feedstocks for AD, such as manures, slurries, energy crops and crop residues. Yet until now they’ve had no hope of benefitting from this, either due to a lack of funding, because they’re too far away from a connection to the gas grid, or both,” says Marc. “Our innovative ‘hub and spoke’ approach to AD enables smaller on-farm sites with abundant feedstocks and no access to funding or gas grid connection points the chance to generate biogas. Any surplus that they can’t find a use for on-site will be transported to one of our larger ‘hub’ plants, which have good gas grid access.” GFD’s flagship AD plant is currently under construction and due for completion in early 2024. Bangley Quarry Biogas Plant in East Lothian will produce 1,100m3/hr biomethane – enough gas to supply a town the size of neighbouring Haddington, with more than 10,000 residents. The company aims to develop its first hub close to the Bangley facility over the coming year. Benefits to farmers With its ability to generate renewable electricity, heat and gas; create a nutrient-rich biofertiliser in the form of digestate; and help farmers cut emissions through better slurry and manure management, AD offers multiple

ARTICLE benefits to progressive farmers looking to diversify their income and cut their emissions. Additional advantages include improved soil health, crop rotation, income stability and of course, income diversification. “With previous hurdles like funding and grid connection now overcome, our offering is set to open up the benefits of AD to more farmers than ever before,” adds Marc. “If you meet most of our key criteria below, get in touch with us at info@gfdl.co.uk for an informal chat.” Key criteria for GFD’s fully funded on-farm AD offering: • Farm located in Scotland or northern England. • Suitable building site with good access to road networks and no obvious planning concerns. • Potential feedstock supply, either alone or in partnership with neighbouring farms.

GFD is currently building a biogas plant at Bangley Quarry in East Lothian, which will produce 1,100m3/hr biomethane – enough gas to supply a town the size of neighbouring Haddington

• Potential energy use, either onsite or locally. • Digestate biofertiliser demand,

either alone or in partnership with neighbouring farms. • Sufficient access to allow

delivery of feedstock (if required) and collection of compressed biomethane.

beef

Cream of the crop under spotlight for the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society’s National Herd Award Building a herd of top-quality animals is a skill that can take years of patience and careful management – something that this year’s judge of the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society’s (BSCS), National Herd Award, David Dickie knows all too well about. Entries this year include the Chapelton, Podehole, Glebe Farm, Jodame, Meonhill and Holkin herds, who all won their UK regional herds competitions in autumn 2022. Established in 2022 during the society’s bicentenary celebrations, the award scheme sponsored by Pedigree Sales Online Livestock Auctions will be run over an initial three-year period. Commenting on his judging role, David Dickie who had the well-know Knockenjig herd until 2020 said, “We had a fantastic few weeks touring the UK and judged some exceptional herds. The standard within the breed is growing year on year and that hasn’t gone unnoticed when it comes to people investing within the breed, with numbers increasing each year at society sales and national and regional shows. The six herds were a credit to the breed, and I look forward to sharing the results with fellow members and breeders later this month at Stirling Bull Sales.” The versatility within the breed makes them well suited to most farming systems whether it be the far north of Scotland or the south of England. Known as ‘the great improver’, the Shorthorn has been enormously influential in the development of other cattle breeds, with more than 40 different breeds of cattle now incorporating Shorthorn genetics. 74

Clive Brown, Operations Manager and Breed Secretary for BSCS adds, “Now arguably one of the best sales for purchasing top quality females, this year’s October Bull Sales at Stirling is looking no different with a strong entry of 66 females and 15 bulls. This sale gives purchasers the opportunity to invest in some of the best genetics within the UK.” With over 4,000 females and nearly 1,100 bulls being registered every year and commercially birth registrations to Beef Shorthorn sires on a steady increase, the breed has also seen an increase in regional shows and sales including a new event being held at Darlington Auction Mart on 18 November 2023. Director of the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society, Stuart Currie said, “It’s great to see

more regional auction markets coming on board and organising sales with a focus towards Beef Shorthorn genetics. The new event at Darlington will give buyers the chance of purchasing Beef Shorthorn commercial calves and stores as well as pedigree calves with show potential. Entries close on 25

October 2023 and we hope to see many vendors and buyers from all over the UK, with a good prize money on offer and a great opportunity to advertise the versatility of the breed.” For more information on upcoming sales nationally and regionally please visit www. beefshorthorn.org.

Scottish exports of red meat sizzle to new record high of over £93m As Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) prepares to go to Germany for Anuga - the world’s leading food and beverage trade fair - a new report reveals Scottish exports of red meat and offal rocketed to a new record high of over £93 million in the year from August 2022 to July 2023. The figures are up 16 per cent on QMS’s survey statistics

from the same period last year, pushing 14 per cent ahead of their pre-Covid peak in 2018/19. “These results buck any negative trends that could have crept in because of the additional cost and complexity involved in accessing the EU market following Brexit,” said Iain Macdonald, Market Intelligence Manager at QMS, who noted

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Scottish exporters’ longestablished relationships with European importers had a large part to play in the successful set of figures. However, some of the growth did reflect higher export prices, while it was also a strong year for trade in manufacturing grade beef. “Thanks to our long-running relationships with importers

beef built on trust in high-quality products, export sales remain heavily dominated by trade with customers in EU countries,” said Iain. “Those relationships are built and strengthened by our presence at events like Anuga, where we’ll be providing visitors with a comprehensive understanding of what sets Scottish red meat apart - Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), quality assurance, provenance, sustainability, and animal welfare, for example.” The report shows that almost 95 per cent of overall export revenues were generated in EU markets, climbing to 98 per cent for Scotch Lamb. While QMS says tight supply has made it hard to grow export sales to new customers, the results did show some emergence of new markets in Africa and Asia and 11 non-EU countries were exported to, up from seven in the previous year. Main export destinations for Scotch Beef remain France, Italy and The Netherlands, collectively accounting for nearly 75 per cent of the total, with Belgium, Germany, Portugal and Hong Kong also proving important. The Irish Republic is the primary destination for exported non-Scotch Beef and, when combined with shipments to The Netherlands and France, they accounted for close to 90 per cent of this trade. Switzerland remains an important outlet for high-value cuts of beef and lamb. “The exports of Scotch Beef to Belgium, France, Germany and Scandinavia trade at wellabove average prices,” said

Iain, adding some small volume markets are showing trade in high-value cuts of Scotch beef averaging well above £20/kg. “This indicates the opportunity that exists for sales of premium cuts of Scotch Beef to buyers seeking out the highest quality beef in a competitive global market.” Although EU demand for lamb remained firm in the year to July 2023, Iain warned export sales are likely to have been limited by reduced abattoir throughput in Scotland. However, including trade in offal, lamb export revenues are still estimated to have risen towards £21m. Lamb exports are also believed to have accounted for an increased 17 per cent share of abattoir turnover during the period, up from 15 per cent in the previous year. By comparison, beef sales are estimated to have risen to around 9.5 per cent of turnover for abattoirs from 8 per cent a year earlier. France remains the most important overseas market for Scotch Lamb, with Belgium and Italy continuing as important destinations. Sales of offal to overseas customers continue to make an important contribution to carcase balance for Scotland’s red meat processors. Overall offal sales were estimated to have risen beyond £9m with close to 80 per cent of this being from beef offal. France leads the list of important outlets for offal, with other significant demands coming from the Irish Republic, Poland and Germany. Hong Kong, Japan and Africa are the main outlets outside the EU.

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livestock

Scotland’s marts generated £605m last year The Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland (IAAS) has released its 2022 throughput figures gathered from its members, who operate auction markets in Scotland. Alan Hutcheon, IAAS President, said: “Markets recorded total throughput of 2.76m head of livestock, a small increase on the previous year, generating just over £605m for the 2022 calendar year.” Both throughput and revenues represent a slight yearon-year increase. Total cattle numbers were down by just over 3.5%, reflecting the continued decline

in the national herd. Sheep numbers showed a slight increase in the year, resulting in a higher total headage throughput. Mr Hutcheon, who took over as President earlier this year, added: “The headline figures are pleasing, given the ongoing pressures facing farmers and IAAS would like to thank all of our customers who use the live ring, either as the place to sell stock to the highest bidder, or for buyers to efficiently buy the livestock with the right specifications for their needs.” He noted that cull cow numbers have increased 11.5% for the year, raising concerns

surrounding the continued reduction of beef breeding cattle numbers and the availability of youngstock for breeding and finishing. “Younger cattle supply remains tight against demand for the same driving the store cattle trade higher,” he explained.

“Good quality breeding cattle are still in demand, however any stock not reaching the quality demanded by buyers is proving more difficult to move at the moment. This is what underpins our view that the breeding herd continues to contract at a higher rate than the long run average.”

FARMING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE

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livestock Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society Gears Up for Enhanced Returns from Genomics Investment

The considerable investment of the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society (BSCS) and its members in the DNA testing (genotyping) of registered cattle is set to reap even greater returns as they move towards implementation of a Single-Step BREEDPLAN genetic evaluation. The Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society database currently hosts over 50,000 data points (SNPs) per genotype and over 7,000 animals with a SNP genotype recorded. “SNP data adds extra information as to how individual animals are truly related at the DNA level as well as how the variation in performance observed among animals truly reflects underlying differences in the genome” explains Dr Brad Crook, BREEDPLAN. The BSCS Board has now decided to provide greater return on investment to members and has started discussions with BREEDPLAN as to how SNP data can be included in the monthly genetic evaluation undertaken for Beef Shorthorn. “Their goal is to use an enhanced model known as Single-Step BREEDPLAN, whereby SNP data is combined with pedigree and performance data “in one step”, said Brad. “This extra source of data provides vital information about the actual relationships among individuals and how specific genotypes relate to specific expressions of trait performance.” Alongside the breeds genetic ability to adapt to different climates, landscapes and systems, the introduction

of genotyping will present an opportunity to increase EBV accuracies to select the best

animals for breeding from an earlier stage, giving breeders increased opportunity to make

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more informed decisions and speed up the rate of genetic gain within their herds.

livestock Ear tag technology shown to improve illness detection in cattle

MSD Animal Health recently released the new electronic ear tag technology SenseHub Feedlot, which is designed to detect sickness in cattle more accurately and earlier than traditional visual observation. A product of Allflex Livestock Intelligence, SenseHub Feedlot is available now as a part of a limited rollout, with plans to expand availability this summer, according to MSD. The state-of-the-art technology was proven to be effective by investigators at a feed yard in Oklahoma. It features an illuminating electronic ear tag designed to easily identify and sort sick cattle, with less labour and minimal disruption to other animals, according to MSD. SenseHub Feedlot tracks behavioural and biometric data to monitor the health of each animal. Body temperature is captured by an infrared thermistor, and a built-in accelerometer measures animal activity. Using collected data, this electronic ear tag applies machine learning algorithms to identify individual calves that vary from baseline norms, according to MSD. Cattle caregivers receive a daily pull list on their mobile device or computer that includes individual animals identified by the system as needing further assessment such as those with bovine respiratory disease (BRD), lameness, or other ailments. Simultaneously, an LED light on the respective sick animals’ tags illuminates and flashes, so pen riders can quickly 78

Merck Animal Health

The electronic SenseHub Feedlot from MSD Animal Health is designed to find sickness earlier and more accurately than alternative methods might provide

SenseHub Feedlot technology utilizes an electronic ear tag with a flashing LED light to make it easier for pen riders to correctly identify and pull sick animals

spot them. After an animal is pulled, the caregiver determines the cause and provides appropriate treatment. “SenseHub Feedlot offers those who manage and care for cattle an innovative new approach to detecting illness,” said Jason Nickell, DVM, PhD, DACVPM, director of insights and outcomes at Merck Animal Health, in a company press release. “Cattle’s defense mechanisms mean they often hide symptoms of illness, making it very challenging for even experienced pen riders to find sick animals. SenseHub Feedlot assists the pen rider by removing the guesswork. Animals can be pulled and treated more quickly and more accurately.” Investigators at the Oklahoma feed yard found that monitoring

market cattle with the SenseHub Feedlot system significantly reduced mortality caused by BRD, compared with traditional pen rider observation. In the first 60 days, BRD mortality was lower for cattle monitored with SenseHub Feedlot, even though disease incidence was higher for that group. Additionally, the Oklahoma trial demonstrated a 71% reduction in labour for riders entering pens with the use of SenseHub Feedlot. Riders who observed cattle visually entered an average of 18 pens per day, compared with only 5.3 pens per day on average when assisted by the new technology. “The technology is like having another employee monitoring cattle 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Even with

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‘feedlot’ in the product name, the product also has application in backgrounding/stocker operations or cow/calf operations retaining calves,” Nickell noted in the company release. “Current users of the technology have reported lower treatment costs, as it allows them to pull sick animals earlier and only treat sick animals. They’ve also reported less mortality, fewer retreats and improved treatment outcomes due to earlier intervention.” SenseHub Feedlot requires minimal hardware, is easy to implement on any size operation, and has a range up to 2 miles, according to MSD. The product consists of the reusable ear tag, and an antenna placed on site. A gateway collects, stores, and sends information to a data platform.

livestock Scotland’s largest independent veterinary group is overwhelmed with wannabe vets

A pioneering new three-day programme designed to give 16 and 17-year-olds a taste of life working in veterinary medicine, hosted by Scotland’s largest independent veterinary group, Thrums Vets, has been a roaring success and generated huge levels of interest from across the UK. After receiving applications from as far away as Glasgow, Leeds and even London, Thrums, which has four practices in Angus and Perthshire, is already planning to host several similar events soon. The Thrums Vet School Preparation Programme is designed to give young people considering a veterinary career, an insight into the role of a

vet in a mixed practice, which serves pets, farm animals and equine. Crucially, it has also been devised to help tackle the ongoing recruitment crisis currently facing the veterinary industry. An initial post on Thrums’ Facebook page to gauge interest in the course was shared more than 300 times, which resulted in more than 45,000 people viewing it. The applicants were then whittled down to eight young aspiring vets, who spent three days at Thrums. During this time, they participated in numerous farm visits and attended small animal appointments, as well as continually talking with Thrums’ existing team members, who

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livestock also advised them on completing vet school applications. In addition, participants were shown how to carry out a variety of clinical examinations on animals, as well as learning how to suture and bandage, and they also participated in a half day lambing course. Gavin Durston, a director from Thrums, said: “This programme is one of the first of its kind in the UK and we launched it as a proactive way to help ease the veterinary industry’s recruitment crisis, over the long-term, rather than just staring into the void and blaming everyone else. We already run a very successful new graduate programme and we’re now planning to make this course an extension of that.” For further details about the upcoming Vet School Preparation Programmes, contact vets@thrumsvet.co.uk or call 01575 572643.

Trident MicroNutri collaborate with Forage Technology to create new biological farming model Trident MicroNutri, an AB Agri company, and a leading feed additive distributor, has partnered with growing family business Forage Technology, to pioneer a new microbial farming model aimed at preserving and regenerating UK soils. This venture brings together the expertise and scalability of Trident MicroNutri, with the innovation and proven microbial solutions of Forage Technology, to address many of the most pressing challenges facing the agricultural industry today. The collaboration comes at a crucial time when soil health,

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livestock Net Zero regulations, and sustainability are at the forefront of agricultural and government concerns. Trident MicroNutri, with its long-standing commitment to responsible agriculture, has recognised the potential of microbial solutions championed by Forage Technology. Biological farming represents a new approach to agriculture,

focusing on building healthier and more resilient ecosystems that not only increase farm productivity but also mitigate environmental impacts. By combining Trident MicroNutri’s industry expertise with Forage Technology’s cutting-edge solutions, this partnership seeks to empower UK farmers to adopt biological practices and foster a more

viable future for agriculture that prioritises soil health, biodiversity, animal nutrition, and long-term sustainability. Speaking about the joint venture, Marie Stephenson, head of feed additives at Trident MicroNutri, expressed enthusiasm for the potential impact on UK and global agriculture. “We believe that biological

farming helps to deliver on the responsibility we all share in safeguarding the future of our planet, food chain, and farms,” she said. “Through this collaboration with Forage Technology, we are committed to providing farmers with the tools and knowledge they need to transition towards more responsible and resilient farming practices.”

Farmers Urged to Secure Winter Bedding Supplies

Farmers are warned to secure their bedding supplies ahead of winter, with producers reporting shortages of sawdust from suppliers. Dairy farmer James Weaver from Rooms Farm, Market Drayton, said he enquired about

receiving his supply of fine sawdust after placing an order earlier in the summer. However, he was told that the supply was tight and that delivery could not be guaranteed. The shortage is thought to be on the back of an increased

volume supplying biomass plants in Europe, with supplies dwindling over the last couple of years. Mr Weaver, who milks 300 Holsteins and usually stocks up with two artic loads of bedding before the winter, said he rang

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various other suppliers and was told a similar message. Commenting on the situation, he said: “Each of the companies said they were struggling to supply sawdust, and on top of that, the price had also increased significantly.”

livestock

The

VET

What is lameness costing your flock?

To secure supply for his herd, Mr Weaver started considering alternative options. “Trying to find a product that could guarantee dryness and security of supply was essential to us. We want to keep things

consistent for our cows, and bedding is an important part. “Without a dry bed for cows, bugs can soon spread, and we all know how much mastitis can cost and the knock-on impact it can have within a herd.”

By Madeleine Brady Northvet Veterinary Group Do you know the incidence of lameness in your flock? How much time do you spend catching and treating lame sheep? Lameness is one of the most common conditions affecting sheep, and one of the most economically important, with an estimated annual cost of £28 million to the UK sheep industry. Individual cases cost £4£14/ewe which can quickly become a significant expense to your business. There is also significant welfare cost as lameness can cause severe pain. Footrot is caused by the bacteria Dichelobacter nodosus. It starts between the toes with a grey discharge and distinctive smell. There may be underrunning of the horn. Footrot should be treated with long acting oxytetracycline injection. Paring the horn is not recommended as it can lead to increased pain, deeper infection and spread footrot throughout the flock.

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Scald is also caused by Dichelobacter nodous. It causes swollen, red skin between the claws and a whitish discharge. The horn is not underrun. Treatment is with antibiotic spray and footbathing can be helpful. CODD - contagious ovine digital dermatitis - causes severe lameness. Lesions develop at the top of the horn with underrunning extending towards the toe. Even with appropriate treatment, damage is often so severe that affected hooves are permanently damaged. Long acting amoxicillin or macrolide antibiotics are recommended as treatment along with pain relief. With industry lameness targets at less than 2%, how is your flock performing? Accurate records are essential for knowing your current lameness incidence, highlighting issues and determining if management changes are effective. A proactive approach is required for reducing lameness incidence within your flock and discussion with your vet is the best place to start. This allows accurate diagnosis to be made and an effective, tailored treatment plan can be created. It’s also important to discuss preventative measures which may include biosecurity protocols and vaccination strategies.

dairy

Optimum Finance helps Scottish Dairy Farm to Mooov with the times! The farmer in charge of one of Scotland’s fastest growing organic dairy farms is looking to expand his range of dairy products, forge new business relationships and better manage his cashflow thanks to atailored Invoice Finance facility from Optimum Finance. For farmer Bryce Cunningham, owner of Mossgiel Organic Farm in Ayrshire, dairy farming is more than a way of life, it’s a passion. But it comes with its challenges, not least in managing cashflow from the moment the product is delivered, to the point at which he gets paid. With an Invoice Finance facility from Optimum Finance, however, Bryce is not only able to manage his cashflow more effectively, but also looking to expand his current operations.

Mossgiel was founded on the principle of creating a truly sustainable dairy. Alongside its herd of 45 Ayrshire cows, it is also the platform for a co-operative that includes five other Scottish organic farms: “We act as the bridge between the farming families and our buying supporters,” Bryce explains, “handling the pasteurisation, processing, bottling and delivery.” The farmers’ organic milk is sold to a broad range of customers, from single bottle doorstep deliveries through to local businesses and larger retailers. Two years ago, it won the tender to supply the nurseries and primary schools of East Ayrshire with the first zero waste, zero emission deliveries of 100% organic milk anywhere in the UK to a local authority.

Having such a broad range of customers comes with an equally broad range of credit and payment terms - anything from seven to 60 days. To fund the gap between delivery and payment, Bryce began looking at Invoice

Finance on the advice of an intermediary: “We had someone in to help with our accounts and they’d had experience of Invoice Finance before and recommended we spoke to Optimum,” Bryce explains.

Adopt sustainable dairy processing to combat UK industry challenges, says Lyras The UK dairy industry is facing a financial squeeze, and producers must harness sustainable practices to save on waste costs and mitigate risks. The UK dairy industry is facing a financial squeeze like never before. This summer, reports showed that the industry is seeing a drop in demand for dairy products as a result of a global oversupply, which will soon become a problem reflected on supermarket shelves and impact consumers across the UK. Recent falls in milk prices have previously been attributed to the “spring flush” – when cows 84

naturally produce more milk as they are let out into fields – leading to oversupply. Yet with retailers set to slash the price of milk, plus soaring industry energy bills and rampant labour shortages, milk processing lines need to be doing more to ensure they cut waste costs and save every penny to remain agile. Mark K. Andersen, CCO of Lyras, a Danish company specialising in sustainable pasteurisation technology, commented: “The UK dairy industry is facing significant challenges, where intervention is needed to cut waste costs and streamline processing lines. Dairy

producers must find ways to reduce the cost of their operations as soon as possible in order to respond to slashed consumer prices. “In recent years, renewable processing technology has become a reliable alternative to more traditional processing methods. However, the dairy industry remains conservative when it comes to abandoning tried and tested methods for a modern, future-proof alternative. Despite their chosen methods lasting for hundreds of years, producers should not be afraid to turn to a newer, cleaner alternative, especially when the threat of an

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industry-wide squeeze might push out those unwilling to adapt and eclipse smaller dairies entirely. “Renewable technology used in the production and treatment of dairy products aids in reducing operational costs, meaning production lines have a greater processing efficiency and can be more financially flexible in the long-term. Ultimately, dairy producers, like any other business, need to act in their best interests to protect themselves, and using sustainable methods means protecting the planet while futureproofing themselves during times of difficulty.”

World’s largest batch milking farm unveiled

DeLaval has announced the largest robot batch milking farm is working well at Lønholm Agro near Kolding, Denmark. The 830 strong pedigree Jersey herd is being milked by 24 VMS™ V310 robots in a unique batch milking system which will enable owner Klaus Jakobsen to grow the herd to 1400 cows in the near future. “We started milking in May this year and the cows adapted very quickly. Batch milking is the right system for our 700 hectare farm because we needed to reduce our dependence on skilled labour and have a milking method that could be scaled up easily and quickly,” he says. DeLaval launched the concept of batch milking in 2021 and there are now 150 VMS robots installed globally, with herd sizes ranging in size from 250 to 2000 cows. Batch milking requires only one unskilled staff member to milk a herd of up to 2000 which makes it attractive to markets where recruitment is difficult and skilled wages are high. Commenting on the success of batch milking, DeLaval’s

Jonas Hällman, Executive Vice President, EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) says: “The VMS batch setup is flexible and can easily be scaled up for a wide variety of farms, including very large ones. In addition, automatic milking requires little manual work, which can reduce labour dependencies and related costs.” Batch milking has provided Mr Jacobsen with a system that can be managed from anywhere in the world. Using just a mobile device he can monitor the productivity and health of every cow using data sent by the robots. “I can see milk yield, when and why it has fluctuated, monitor pregnancy using the robot’s progesterone testing module, and also use cameras to observe the cows being at rest and during milking,” he says. DeLaval suggests that whilst herd sizes are growing worldwide as farms consolidate, batch milking offers a solution to managing growing herds with less dependence on labour and the benefit of more data to improve productivity.

NFU Scotland

dairy

Scotland’s new post-Brexit post-CAP agricultural policy Scotland’s journey to a new post-Brexit post-CAP agricultural policy is now well and truly underway with the publication of the Scottish Government’s Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill writes NFU Scotland’s Director of Policy Jonnie Hall. The ‘framework’ Bill will introduce new powers as part of primary legislation upon which Scotland’s future agriculture policy, due to be introduced from 2026 onwards, will be built. The Bill will now begin its progression through the Scottish Parliament, with an expectation that it will be adopted by Summer 2024. Throughout Stages 1 to 3 of the Scottish Parliament’s legislative process, we will scrutinise the published Bill, draft appropriate amendments, liaise with Scottish Government and the relevant Parliamentary Committee, and engage with MSPs and other stakeholders to ensure any necessary amendments are made or indeed other amendments rejected. We will closely monitor its progress through Holyrood to ensure it has all the enabling powers to provide the necessary support to active farmers and crofters for them to deliver intended outcomes around food production, climate, biodiversity and wider rural development. A sustainable and profitable agricultural industry is key to Scotland’s ambitions and having the appropriate powers in place to deliver the right support is a crucial factor in that. However, for those farmers and crofters wanting

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to know the nitty gritty detail of what future policy might mean for their businesses, the frustration will continue for some time yet. It is the secondary legislation that will follow the Bill, once enacted, that must effectively support active farmers and crofters by putting agricultural production at its centre, as only this will underpin the nation’s ambitions for climate action, nature restoration, rural communities and the wider economy. Scottish agriculture is being asked to do much of the heavy lifting to meet Scotland’s climate and nature goals, whilst also continuing to produce food of the highest quality and sustain the socio-economic fabric of our rural communities – the issues that Part 1 of the Bill addresses. While absolutely necessary, this primary enabling legislation is also pretty bland - it lacks the obvious detail which farmers and crofters need now if they are to plan for and implement change. NFU Scotland needs the Scottish Government to use 2024 and 2025 to provide an effective, smooth transition for all agricultural businesses to hit the ground running from 2026. Beyond that, it’s paramount that those powers are then used to deliver the Union’s own vision of a ‘sustainable and profitable future for farmers and crofters’ because that is the only route to delivering all required outcomes.”

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dairy

RABDF Appoints Award-Winning Cumbrian Dairy Farmer as Chairman Award-winning Cumbrian dairy farmer Robert Craig has become the new Chairman of the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers (RABDF), taking over from Devon dairy farmer Di Wastenage. At the Association’s October Chairman’s meeting, Robert, the previous Vice Chair, started his three-year tenure. Robert is a third-generation dairy farmer and operates three dairy farming businesses across Cumbria and Northumberland, milking 1,500 spring and autumn calving cows. A past Chairman of Cumbria NFU, he still maintains an interest in local and national politics both on and off the farm. He is also a Non-Executive Director of First Milk and is currently the co-op’s vice chairman.

All three of his businesses supply First Milk, and he also represents First Milk at Dairy UK, where he chairs the Dairy UK farmer forum. Robert is also a 2012 Nuffield Scholar and has worked closely with The Sustainable Food Trust since his travels, particularly on the Global Farm Metric project.

FARMING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE Subscription page 127

Vets launch online training for Dairy farmers

Farmers and their staff can now access Red Tractor accredited veterinary training online, to complete in their own time and gain Dairy Pro points. Synergy Farm Health, which already delivers a wide variety of farmer training in-person, has developed a new online training platform, to cater for those who struggle to make physical workshops.

“Our experience is that attending courses in person often proves challenging for a variety of reasons for farm staff, but there is an ever-increasing demand for quality training to meet milk buyer/Red Tractor requirements,” says Pete O’Malley, vet at Synergy Farm Health. “There is a lack of quality online training available for the production animal industry -

but there is definite demand for training farm staff in subjects like youngstock health, medicine training, and downer cows. This doesn’t necessarily have to be delivered one-to-one, they can be studied at the individual’s convenience.” The courses - which are bite-sized modules of video learning followed by an online test at the end - have taken some

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time to create, and the first to become available is Safe Use of Veterinary Medicines in Cattle. This will soon be followed by Safe Use of Veterinary Medicines in Sheep, care of the downer cow, cattle handling, lameness management, and youngstock health management. Trainees can undertake the courses in their own time, and once successfully completed, receive a certificate and DairyPro points, which can be used for their Red Tractor assurance. “We know that farmers have difficult working hours and limited travelling time,” says Mr O’Malley. “Hopefully this online training overcomes those obstacles.”

sheep

Haemonchus contortus cases rise in the north of the UK

Sheep farmers are being urged to keep an eye out for signs of Haemonchus contortus (H. contortus), a blood-sucking worm that can be hard to spot, as cases rise across the whole of the UK. Historically cases of H. contortus has been isolated in the southern parts of the UK, but according to SRUC, a total of 46 diagnoses of H. contortus have been made on Scottish holdings. Although the number of cases remains small, 46% of these diagnoses have been in the past three years and there is a general upward trend. Matt Colston, ruminant technical consultant from Elanco Animal Health, says cases of H. contortus are typically seen after higher summer temperatures. However, its occurrence tends to be sporadic, making it harder to spot. “Cases have been seen in the south-west for some time, but there’s been a rise in the north of the UK and Scotland in recent years,” he says. “Sheep are not good at developing immunity to Haemonchus so it affects both ewes and lambs and doesn’t display the same symptoms as other worm species. “Affected animals don’t tend to scour; the worms are bloodsuckers and so the symptoms are more like liver fluke - thin ewes, anaemia, and bottle jaw which can be followed by death.” Mr Colston says farmers often think their sheep are suffering from a fluke outbreak in August, but it could be H. contortus causing the problem. “If ewes are looking thin and on a good diet, it’s worth undertaking a faecal egg count (FEC), as it could be Haemonchus,” he adds. “The FEC are typically high with Haemonchus - it’s not uncommon to see egg counts in the thousands - so if a high test does come back, further testing will be required.

“Worms can be visible in the abomasum, but the diagnosis can also be confirmed from faecal samples by carrying out the peanut agglutinin test to identify if Haemonchus eggs are present; samples have to be sent to APHA to do this.”

He says although the test takes time and requires money, the investment is worthwhile as it severely hinders flock performance and if not treated can lead to death. “When it comes to treating Haemonchus, it does appear that the worms are susceptible to

most wormers, but it’s important to do a post-treatment check to ensure that it has cleared out all the worms,” adds Mr Colston. He says farmers should consider what parasite presents the highest risk on their farm when selecting control options.

Sheep health event reinforces the importance of monitoring worm burdens

Sheep farmers are being warned to closely monitor worm levels, as faecal egg counts are reporting high levels of worm burdens across the country. This was the advice shared at a recent Elanco online workshop, as part of its Access to Knowledge (A2K) webinar series. Ben Strugnell, from Farm Post Mortems, spoke at the event and suggested that at this time of year, high worm burdens in

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sheep

crofting A busy first month for new Chief Executive at the Scottish Crofting Federation Comment from Donna Smith Chief Executive, Scottish Crofting Federation As I write this, I am finishing my first month as Chief Executive, having taken over from Patrick Krause who was at the helm for the last 20 years. Patrick has put a tremendous amount of energy, enthusiasm and passion for crofting into his work during that time and now my task is to continue that work in my own way and I am relishing the opportunity. I join at a time when there are many challenges and uncertainties, particularly around what any new agriculture subsidies might look like, and it is therefore key that we continue to ensure that the voice of crofting is represented and I am looking forward to getting on with the task at hand. My first few weeks have included meetings with Scottish Government and others to discuss some of the potential changes to crofting legislation, with the Crofting Commission and then public meetings in Arisaig and Portree where we chatted about the use of fire in a crofting context, which involved some

discussion about the new Wildlife Management and Muirburn bill and how it will impact crofters. I also attended a meeting about the Grass Ceiling project that is currently running across the UK and EU. It’s a really interesting piece of work that is not only supporting cohorts of innovative women working in agriculture to develop their innovative projects but will also generate some interesting information about women in agriculture which will inform policy makers and help produce training materials and case studies. All in all, a thoroughly interesting introduction for me into some of the work that the SCF is involved in on behalf of our members whose continued support allows us to ensure that the voice of crofting and crofters is heard in all the places it needs to be. I am looking forward to the next month and more importantly, in the near future to getting out and about around the crofting counties to get speaking to folk on the ground about what matters to them.

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lambs should be treated with a Group 4 wormer, as a break dose to remove resistant worms left behind by previous treatments and help support lamb growth. “FEC testing will also highlight if you don’t need to treat, so could save you time and money,” he says. Hosted by The Sheep Game’s Cammy Wilson, other expert speakers included: Dr Frank Turnbull, from Techion, and vet, Joseph Henry, from Black Sheep Farm Health. The event opened with an overview of challenges faced by farmers in the field, with a warning that haemonchus issues are rising, with cases spreading further north in the UK. “Unlike most worm species, ewes don’t gain immunity to haemonchus, so it’s important to remain vigilant as we head into winter. The symptoms differ from other worm species, as animals don’t tend to scour,” said Mr Strugnell. “If you’re seeing ewes and lambs that aren’t performing,

it could be haemonchus, but further testing is required.” During the event, Mr Wilson shared the benefits of regular weighing to help identify worm infestations before they become too entrenched in the flock. “The most important thing I’ve learnt is that the first sign of a worm burden in lambs is that they stop growing, followed by scouring, and only then does the worm egg count go up,” he said. However, Techion’s Dr Frank Turnbull stressed that this does not mean FEC tests are ineffective and highlighted their value in identifying high worm burdens and wormer resistance. “Undertaking a FEC test ahead of worming can help ensure you’re only treating lambs when the worm burden is above the treatment threshold, avoiding overuse to help preserve the efficacy of wormers,” he says. For those who were unable to attend, please visit www. myelanco.co.uk/cpd/rama/hub/ a2k-webinar-autumn-2023 to watch the sessions back.

Leicestershire sheep farmer wins sustainability award Leicestershire-based sheep farmer, James Horn, has won the 2023 VetPartners Sustainable Sheep Farm of the Year award, with Steve Penberthy from Cornwall awarded the runner-up position. The award recognises strides made by sheep farmers in fortifying their flocks for the future, through exceptional stockmanship, animal health and profitable breeding. VetPartners launched the award in 2022 to recognise achievements in improving farm sustainability through prioritised animal health and productivity. Mr Horn and Mr Penberthy were nominated by their vets,

Gina Rigby from Cross Counties Farm Vets and Rachel Lye from Rosevean Vets respectively. A first-generation sheep farmer, Mr Horn is based in Lutterworth, Leicestershire. He has worked exceptionally hard over the past five years to build up a flock of two halves - 400 indoor lambing North Country Mules and 250 outdoor lambing New Zealand Romneys. The North Country Mules are now being sold to allow the Romney flock to expand. Mrs Rigby explains that animal health and welfare have been at the centre of Mr Horn’s enterprise and he is of the opinion that farmers and vets

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sheep Celebrate Lamb for St Andrews Day with NSA Scotland! NSA Scotland look forward to welcoming you to our Lamb for St Andrews Day Dinner which will be held on the evening of Thursday 30th November 2023 at Cafraemill, Lauder. It promises to be a fantastic

evening and we look forward to seeing friends old and new. Please note that tickets will only be available online, should you have any queries, please contact us via grace@ nationalsheep.org.uk.

NSA Scotland Predation Survey 2023

can improve this if they work in close partnership. “Together we have a big emphasis on flock health planning and disease surveillance, but individual sheep are also very well looked after with outstanding stockmanship,” she says. “Following regenerative principles, the sheep have successfully integrated into local arable farms - benefiting all parties. “Through this system, the flock benefits from high-quality forage and a reduced parasite

challenge. Vaccines, diagnostics (blood tests and faecal egg counts), veterinary advice and good management help keep antibiotic and anthelmintic usage low. Mrs Rigby says: “There’s a very low involuntary cull rate due to the care and attention individual sheep are shown. James is never afraid to pick up the phone to ask for advice or a visit for individual animals. “He was also key in helping me to set up the practice’s Flock Club and has been an active and engaged member since.”

FARMING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE

Next issue out January 2024 Subscription page 127

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Many thanks must go to NSA members and the wider sheep industry for engaging with the NSA Scotland predator surveys in 2023 and also 2020. It is imperative that we have evidence of predator incidents and attacks to ensure that when we are making the case to policy makers and those outside of agriculture, they can see for themselves the devastating daily impacts that are inflicted on our national flock and those who tend to it. Since 2020 it has remained evident that foxes, crows, badgers and ravens are the main offenders. Reasons for a rise in incidents have been an increase in the area of forestry surrounding a farm or croft; lack of control on certain species and decrease in people to do so which has allowed the population to get out of control; difficulty in being granted a licence; an increase in land abandonment and rewilding projects.

Points were repeatedly made that financial compensation does not replace bloodlines and the emotional toll and stress on the farmer or crofter involved. In addition to this, local wildlife and biodiversity were identified as priorities suffering at the hands of predation. The 2023 survey also highlighted that the Scottish sheep industry is very concerned about the potential reintroduction of Lynx. In conjunction with this, NSA Scotland have recently written alongside the Scottish Blackface Sheep Breeders Association and SAC Consulting Oban to the Scottish Government expressing serious concerns, not only regarding loss of income and future sustainability of some hill farms but also, of the mental health of those trying to make a living from sheep farming in sea eagle predatory areas.

For further information, please visit https://www.nationalsheep.org.uk/webinars/

Travel Scotland

Break out to Bo’Ness and Blackness By Janice Hopper In the Falkirk area the Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel are headline tourist destinations, but the small town of Bo’ness and neighbouring village of Blackness punch above their weight when it comes to quality attractions, history and a rewarding weekend break for all ages. Start at the 170 acre Muiravonside Country Park. Many visitors make a beeline for Newparks Farm, where traditional agricultural animals are admired alongside more exotic creatures, with lots of cool facts to boot. We discovered that Highland Cattle were first mentioned in the 6th century AD, Shetland ponies can pull twice their own weight, and a turkey’s sex can be determined by its faeces - females produce spiral-shapes and males are more like the letter ‘J’. Who knew?! The Avon Aqueduct is another fascinating site within the park, carrying the Union Canal over the River Avon via twelve arches. This aqueduct is the longest and tallest in Scotland, built between 1819 to 1821 and designed by Hugh Baird, who took advice from Thomas Telford. Today you’ll spot mainly tourists on canal boats drifting by, but in the past all sorts of goods, including agricultural produce, were carried by boat up and down the canals. Look out for the park’s Art Sculpture Trail, inspired by the land and nature. A key example is the towering metal teasel wild flowers. Visitors will also stumble upon a series of allotments where local people harvest their own crops. 90

Many guests to the area book the traditional Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway for the romance

of travelling by steam engine. The 45 minute return journey leaves Bo’ness, travels through the

Cycling to Blackness Castle

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pretty Birkhill station, and stops at Manuel where passengers are invited to disembark to watch the

Travel Scotland engine switch ends of the train, before everyone is transported in vintage style back to Bo’ness. Inside the railway museum, the history of farm animals travelling by rail is covered well. Data was important: wagon labels were logged with the animals’ loading time; the time and station where they were watered or fed; and the time and date when cattle onboard required milking. By moving animals around at speed the railway changed how people dined; produce such as ‘Aberdeenshire beef and Borders lamb went by rail to the dinner tables of Victorian Britain.’ Farming processes became more flexible i.e. Highland beef was sold for fattening on Lowland pasture with the promise of swift transportation. Agricultural shows flourished because ‘the railways could transport champion stock from all over the country.’ The railway ultimately opened up Britain to Scottish farmers. After touring the park and railway, a quick pitstop is deserved. Drop by the dairytastic McMoos in Bo’ness for ice cream, lunch and more. Another foodie recommendation is The Lobster Pot in Blackness. Celebrate the harvest of the sea with fresh lobster served five ways, from grilled steak with lobster, to Lobster Thermidor. Once fed and watered, Kinneil House is another great destination. At the end of the Antonine Wall, its grounds are home to a mini Roman fort. The estate was formerly 3,500 acres running from Bo’ness to Linlithgow, and incorporating around 20 farms. Now it’s 200 acres of parkland and woodland. ‘Friends of Kinneil House’ offers free tours of the grounds, and the interiors can be viewed by booking tickets with Historic Environment Scotland. There’s a small free museum on site that covers local history and heritage, plus Kinneil is the home of social enterprise Sustainable Thinking Scotland, recently visited by King Charles. The team grows crops of fresh fruit and vegetables that are donated to food banks, pantries and community meals.

The company was started originally to help support a local food bank, Bo’ness Storehouse, renting a small plot of land in the walled garden. Today they also recover green waste from Kinneil Estate and convert it to biochar and compost. The public can support this enterprise by donating funds or buying sacks of biochar. Kinneil House also boasts an orchard that grows medlars, plums, cherries and crab apples. The council occasionally welcomes the public to pick the fruit and take it home. Another curious fact linked to the estate is that James Watt worked on his revolutionary steam engine idea on this very site. Visitors can still step inside the small workshop where he laboured. Lastly, don’t miss Blackness Castle. Due to limited parking in the village, visitors are encouraged to park at Bo’ness and cycle the thirty minute stretch to Blackness. Thankfully the smooth, flat, off-road and well sign-posted John Muir Way is ideal for cycling or walking between the two points. It turns out that the renowned land conservationist, John Muir, has proud farming roots too. Born in Dunbar in 1838, his family emigrated to America when he was eleven years old to a farm in Wisconsin. Muir is

often associated with his love of nature in America, but the 134 mile route across Scotland from Helensburgh to Dunbar celebrates his Scottish heritage. The cycle along the water’s edge to the small village of Blackness is an absolute delight. Blackness Castle itself is under the stewardship of Historic Environment Scotland. It resembles a ship perched on the shore, often referred to as ‘the ship that never sailed’. Inside the handsome ruins discover tales of wealthy prisoners, regal visits from King James IV and appreciate excellent views of the Firth of Forth and the Forth Bridges. From farms and castles to cycling, country houses and great food, Bo’ness and Blackness beckon brightly.

FACT BOX Muiravonside Country Park falkirkleisureandculture.org/venues/ muiravonside-country-park Kinneil and Bo’ness Railway and Museum - bkrailway.co.uk McMoos Ice Cream Parlour mcmoos.co.uk The Lobster Pot - lobster-pot.co.uk Kinneil House historicenvironment.scot/visit-aplace/places/kinneil-house Kinneil Museum - kinneil.org/ museum John Muir Way - johnmuirway.org Blackness Castle historicenvironment.scot/visit-aplace/places/blackness-castle For more ideas and inspiration click on visitfalkirk.com After extensive sight-seeing book into the modern Richmond Park Hotel - richmondparkhotel.com

The Lobster Pot

Newparks Farm

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people

ALBAS now open for nominations

Nominations for Lantra Scotland’s 2024 ALBAS (Awards for Landbased and Aquaculture Skills) -- which highlight the talents of people and organisations involved in the land-based and aquaculture sector – are now open. Designed to celebrate the achievements of individuals, schools, businesses and partnerships, the awards recognise successful trainees of all ages and encourage employers to invest in the next generation of talent, while promoting the many rewarding careers available. Industry categories in the ALBAS cover agriculture, animal care, aquaculture, equine,

environmental conservation, fisheries management, game and wildlife, horticulture, land-based engineering and trees and timber. As well as prizes for Overall Winner, Runner-up and Modern Apprentice of the Year, there are awards for Higher Education, School Pupil and Secondary Schools, CARAS (Council for Awards of Agricultural Societies), Mentor award, the Tam Tod Trophy for outstanding young learner, and the Anna Murray Award for Partnership Working. Dr Liz Barron-Majerik MBE MICFor, Scotland Director for Lantra explained: “The land-

based and aquaculture industries that are the focus of our ALBAS make a substantial contribution to Scotland’s economy, particularly in rural areas. “By recognising and celebrating the success of our top learners, employers, training providers and partners, the awards serve to highlight the dedication and achievements of everyone involved. “Becoming a finalist in the ALBAS often makes a huge difference to people’s selfconfidence and ultimately their careers too.” “I’m also delighted to

announce that we will have a fantastic new venue for our 2024 ceremony, the Crieff Hydro in Perthshire”. Deadline for entries to the ALBAS is Friday 1 December and winners will be announced at a prestigious evening ceremony at the Crieff Hydro on Thursday 7 March 2024. Call Lantra Scotland on 01738 310364, email scotland@ lantra.co.uk or visit www. scotland.lantra.co.uk/learneryear

Top SAC consulting adviser nominated for leading industry award A senior member of the SAC Consulting advisory team has been shortlisted for the prestigious ‘Adviser of the Year’ category at the Scottish Agriculture Awards 2023. Lanark-based Hazel Laughton made the shortlist as a result of her mix of technical 92

knowledge, enthusiasm in working with her clients and dedication to helping farmers improve the financial and operational elements of their business. Hazel has worked with SAC Consulting, part of Scotland’s Rural College, for nine years

and the Lanark office deals with around 400 clients throughout the wider Lanarkshire area. The award judges were looking for people who could demonstrate they had a positive impact on business decisions; had evidence of sharing qualified advice; and helped customers

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future-proof their business with forward thinking guidance. Farm Advisory Service Programme Leader, Chloe McCulloch, supported Hazel’s nomination and said: “Hazel has a brilliant farmer-led style that is really effective, she’s as good at listening to farmers as she is

people talking to them, and this makes the difference between a good adviser and a great adviser. “Hazel is clearly passionate about helping farmers to prepare for the future, always looking ahead at what they need to be doing and how best she can communicate the message and advice to them.” This was backed up by Kenny Dunlop from Hillhead Farm, Biggar, who added: “I am delighted to hear that Hazel has been nominated for this award of ‘Adviser of the Year’. “I have been fortunate enough to have Hazel as my agricultural adviser for the last eight years. Over this period of time her infectious enthusiasm and dedication to her role has pushed me to become a far better farmer. She encouraged me to adopt more modern and environmentally friendly farming practices, whilst also improving the financial and operational sides and she has pushed my business forward.

Students encouraged to enter RABDF Farm Health Management Awards with a £500 cash prize up for grabs The long-running RABDF Farm Health Management Award, sponsored by Volac, is now open to vet and agriculture students. Entrants from vet and agriculture colleges and universities could be in with the chance of winning £500 by entering this year’s award. The awards aim to demonstrate an understanding of, and test students’ knowledge, of proactive farm health management – a vital element of the Agriculture Act. The competition is split into three categories: students at agricultural colleges, agricultural universities and vet schools, and is open to students in all year groups.

A 1,500-word essay, on the subject of proactive farm health management, must be submitted by students, with a winner for each category taking home a £500 prize. Essays are judged by a panel of industry experts, including a representative of RABDF and award sponsor, Volac. A shortlist of entries will be invited to attend Dairy-Tech, the RABDFs flagship event, at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, on 7 February 2024, where the winners will be announced. Matthew Knight, Managing Director at RABDF, said: “Farm Health Management is an integral part of running a productive and profitable farm as well as being

an integral in delivering health and welfare improvements as part of Defra’s Animal Health and Welfare Pathway. “We can’t wait to see what this year’s entrants decide to focus on in their essays and how it links with Defra’s

recommendations for higher welfare throughout the industry.” More information and application forms are available at www.rabdf.co.uk The deadline for entries is 8 December 2024.

FARMING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE Next issue out January 2024 Subscription page 127

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forestry SSEN Transmission calls on businesses to get involved with its multimillion-pound tree replacement programme At SSEN Transmission we are investing over £10bn to upgrade the network infrastructure across the north of Scotland between now and 2030 as the region plays a leading role in delivering energy security and net zero. And in doing so, it is inevitable that we’ll have to fell some woodland along the way, to make space for cables, steel towers and substations – although significant effort is made to keep the need for tree felling to a minimum. But for every tree we fell, we commit to replant at least one – and often many more – to replace it, establishing new woodlands to replace those that are cut down, and supporting our commitment to biodiversity net gain on all of our projects. And now, we’re calling on businesses and community groups to get involved. Most of the woodlands our lines will pass through are productive conifer forests, which have relatively low biodiversity value. As part of our replanting programme, we aim to almost exclusively replant with native broadleaves which, in time, will deliver a much higher level of biodiversity than the pre-existing conifer forests, supporting a rich diversity of flora and wildlife. Calum Murray, SSEN Transmission’s Forester leading on woodland creation, explained: “Not only do we replace trees that are felled, but we also work to develop new woodland that provides specifically for biodiversity gain. At SSEN Transmission we are committed to ensuring that we deliver at least 10% more biodiversity on our projects, whether they cross woodland, peatland, farmland or any other natural habitat. We want to leave our project sites better than we found them. “Where it’s possible, we work with communities and other local 94

groups to develop woodlands and we’re always keen to hear from anyone who has land that they’d like to develop a woodland on.” With potentially several thousand hectares of new woodland needing to be developed as part of its ‘Pathway to 2030’ programme, SSEN Transmission is looking to a wider landownership base for potential woodland development areas. The programme of woodland creation is a multimillion-pound opportunity and the company is looking to engage with businesses that are able to deliver the project

collaboratively, through its recently launched framework tender opportunity. This project strengthens SSEN Transmission’s commitment to woodland conservation, following on from partnering with Argyll and the Isles Coast and Countryside Trust (ACT), and Argyll and Bute Council to help support and enhance Scotland’s rainforest in Argyll. And in considering new woodland projects, SSEN Transmissions takes into account a variety of different benefits and

requirements, high on that list of priorities includes: · Replacing lost woodland as close as possible to the area impacted. · Projects that offer community benefit - including developing woodland close to towns or helping to enhance a designated landscape. · Expanding on key habitats such as ancient woodland sites. If your business would be interested in the opportunity visit here or contact Susan Beveridge at susan.e.beveridge@sse.com to find out more.

UK Government gives £1 million boost to Forestry skills training across England • Additional £1 million made available for forestry and arboriculture training courses between now and April 2025, following unprecedented levels

of demand earlier this year. • New funding will help grow the forestry sector, creating more green jobs to boost the workforce with courses in

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chainsaw operation, planting and operating heavy machinery, deer management, planting new woodland and selling timber. • Funding has been extended

forestry

to cover new courses in arboriculture, which cover the care, management and safety of amenity trees. Current and aspiring foresters and arboriculturists are set to benefit from an additional £1 million in funding, which is being allocated to fund training courses in forestry and arboriculture across England, following an unprecedented demand. The funding is primarily aimed at those considering changing their careers to one in forestry or arboriculture, as well as those already working in the sector. As the industry continues to grow as a result of the Government’s £675 million tree programme, the funding will create more green jobs and boost the workforce where over 30,000 people are already dedicated to expanding and protecting our precious woodlands, contributing more than £2 billion to our economy every year. The new funding will cover training courses in a range of areas, including in: • Chainsaw operation; • Operating heavy machinery; • Planning and planting new woodland; • Deer management; • Marketing and selling timber; • Aerial tree pruning; and • Branch removal. The Forestry and Arboriculture Fund – formerly known as the Forestry Training Fund - has received exceptionally high uptake since its launch in February this year, with over 150 short course training providers having registered to offer courses and 1,100 training places already funded for the next two years. The fund has today been extended to cover arboriculture courses, with £250,000 ringfenced

specifically for courses which cover the care, management and safety of amenity trees, through skills such as aerial tree pruning, branch removal, and assisted felling. Defra Forestry Minister, Trudy Harrison said: “As tree-planting and woodlands across the country increase, so must our forestry workforce. “We are committed to growing the sector and increasing green jobs which will be made possible through this significant funding of Forestry and Arboriculture courses, as we continue to ensure at least 16.5% of the country is covered in trees by 2050.” Forestry Commission Chief Executive, Richard Stanford said: “England’s forestry sector plays an essential part in creating resilient forests and woodlands which improve our natural environment, helping meet net zero carbon emissions, provide a sustainable source of home-grown timber and boost people’s health and wellbeing. “The additional funding provided through the Forestry and Arboriculture Training Fund, will ensure that more people across the country, from all backgrounds, are able to build and diversify their skills in forestry. I encourage anyone looking to join the sector or upskill to apply today.” The Forestry and Arboriculture Training Fund is already playing an instrumental role in helping deliver the government’s England Trees Action Plan (ETAP), which sets out how we will shape the country for future generations through a significant increase in tree-planting and woodland creation, which is supported by over £675 million from the Nature for Climate Fund.

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The Woodland Carbon Code - an opportunity for farmers

Pat Snowdon

Integrating trees into farming businesses can bring many benefits. These include providing shelter for livestock, a timber income for the future, woodfuel supplies, and of course boosting the farm’s biodiversity and tackling climate change. There is another option for farmers which can bring in additional income – registering their new woodland through the Woodland Carbon Code. Pat Snowdon, Head of Economics and Woodland Carbon Code at Scottish Forestry, outlines what’s in the Code for farmers. What is the Woodland Carbon Code? It is an internationally endorsed standard that builds trust among carbon credit buyers, farmers, land agents and others, by showing that carbon credits from planting woodlands are genuine and permanent, and make an additional contribution to our net CO2 emissions reduction targets. How does it work? By getting new woodlands validated under the Woodland Carbon Code, farmers can generate

carbon credits which they can either sell to companies looking to compensate for their unavoidable CO2 emissions, or use against their own estate or business emissions. Why should farmers consider it? The additional income from carbon credits can reassure farmers that creating a new woodland is a financially viable proposition. Are there any estimates to show what a farmer could make from the carbon credits? Creating a mixed native woodland may generate 400 or more verified carbon credits per hectare over 50 years. At current prices of about £20/credit, planting a 10 hectare woodland could provide £80,000 in revenue for the farmer. Credits can be sold upfront once a project is validated, or they can be sold over time to provide a more regular income. If any farmer wishes to find out more about the Woodland Carbon Code they can see farming case studies on their website www.woodlandcarboncode. org.uk. 89

estate Livestock farm with development potential in accessible location Galbraith is bringing to the market Meikle Hareshaw Farm, an attractive livestock farm in an accessible but private location within South Lanarkshire. The farmhouse at Meikle Hareshaw is located centrally within the holding and provides accommodation over two floors, along with an enclosed garden fringed by mature trees, with views to the south. The farmhouse requires complete modernisation throughout, but along with adjoining courtyard buildings, it presents a rare opportunity to develop and extend the existing footprint to create a substantial family home. Duncan Barrie, a partner with Galbraith, said: “Meikle Hareshaw has been occupied by the same family for almost a 100 years and offers a compact and versatile livestock unit, within a sought after area close to the popular town of Strathaven. The farmhouse offers a blank canvas to create a superb family home, incorporating the adjoining byres into the property if desired and subject to planning permission. The farmland is in good heart and there is a range of traditional and modern agricultural buildings, previously used for sheep, pigs and cattle, all within easy reach of Glasgow and the rest of the central belt.” Meikle Hareshaw Farm is located approximately 2.5 miles from the village of Drumclog and 7.5 miles to the south west of Strathaven, a historic market town with an excellent range of local services, shops and 96

restaurants. The farm is within easy commuting distance of Glasgow, which is 30 miles distant, while Glasgow Airport is also about 30 miles. There is a range of useful and more modern farm buildings located adjacent to the farmhouse, which could continue to be used for agricultural purposes but may present a number of alternative uses, subject to the necessary planning consents. The farmland extends to about 73.1 hectares (180.80

acres) of grazing and pasture land, principally grade 4.2 and 5.2 with small areas of Grade 6.3. The land has been let on a seasonal basis in recent years. There is good vehicular access to farmhouse, steading and almost all of the fields from adjacent public roads. Meikle Hareshaw Farm is for sale through Galbraith as a whole for Offers Over £945,000 or in lots as follows: • Lot 1 - Farmhouse, farm steading and land extending

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to approximately 25.04 Ha (61.87 acres) in all. Offers Over £495,000 • Lot 2 - Pole barn, sheep handling pens and land extending to approximately 21.23 Ha (52.46 acres) in total. Offers Over £220,000 • Lot 3 - Land extending to approximately 26.90 Ha (66.47 Acres) in total located to the north of the farmhouse and steading on the opposite side of the public road. Offers Over £230,000

estate 150 land managers hit out at prospective ban on snares and cable restraints 150 land managers have signed a letter urging the Scottish Government to retain the use of humane cable restraints as it considers a ban on the use of traditional snares. Humane cable restraints are a modern device used predominantly by farmers and gamekeepers to control fox populations in order to protect livestock and other wildlife such as ground-nesting birds. The consultation on a ban on snaring, which closed yesterday (3 October 2023), may lead to the use of humane cable restraints being prohibited via amendments to the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill currently making its way parliament – despite the devices being fully compliant with the Agreement on International

Humane Trapping Standards (AIHTS). Scottish Land & Estates, the rural business organisation, said claims by the Scottish Government that other forms of predator control such as shooting and trapping were available in every circumstance was ‘demonstrably false’. Ross Ewing, Director of Moorland at Scottish Land & Estates, said: “It is clear that the Scottish Government is on course to ban the use of traditional snares and, whilst we have reservations, we acknowledge that more proficient humane cable restraints are now available for use. “These much-improved devices are vital in protecting livestock and ground-nesting

birds and it is important that the Scottish Government does not rush headlong into a ban as part of its plan to outlaw conventional snares. “The two devices are completely distinguishable in design and it would be a dreadful blow to conservation and livestock management if government failed to recognise that. “The depth of feeling on this matter is demonstrated by the signatories of more than 150 land managers urging Environment Minister Gillian Martin to retain the use of humane cable restraints. “The Scottish Government has claimed in its consultation that methods of predator control such as snaring and shooting are more efficient and humane but that is demonstrably false.

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“Shooting is also simply not an option for safety reasons due to the terrain in many places. Due to woodland expansion, thick cover, topography, access constraints and other factors – snares and cable restraints are the only wildlife management tools available in practice. “Both humane cable restraints and live capture traps have met the same humaneness standard under the Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards (AIHTS). It would signal a real blow to the conservation of species including black grouse, partridge, lapwing and curlew if the Scottish Government was to give free rein for the fox population to expand unchecked.”

estate National Park is looking for views on the management of Bassenthwaite Lake National Nature Reserve The Lake District National Park Authority owns Bassenthwaite Lake and manages this and other areas of land that make up the National Nature Reserve. The Authority is currently looking for feedback on its draft five-year management plan, with an online consultation starting this week and running until 24 November 2023. Landowners, lake users, including permit holders, and other stakeholders are being encouraged to take part. As well as being within the Lake District National Park, and a National Nature Reserve, Bassenthwaite has special protection as a Site of Special Scientific Interest as well as

being part of the River Derwent and Bassenthwaite Lake Special Area of Conservation. Cath Johnson, the Lake District National Park Authority’s Northern Ranger Team Leader says: “Bassenthwaite is a special lake for wildlife, supporting breeding ospreys during the summer and many other flora, insects, birds, and small mammals all year round. It’s a wonderful place for some quiet enjoyment, as motor craft are strictly managed and sailing, rowing, kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding, fishing, and swimming are all permitted. We issue permits for

most of these activities, so that we have a good understanding of how and when people are visiting the area, and money raised goes back into helping us protect and

conserve the lake, to benefit its wildlife. This plan also includes how we propose to manage the recreation interest whilst protecting the sites biodiversity.”

New milestone in Scotland’s land reform journey “People” top of the Scottish Land Commission’s three-year plan The body responsible for advising on reforms to land ownership and use has set out its agenda for positive change at a key time for Scotland’s land. The Scottish Land Commission has played a major role in guiding the government on the pivotal subject, which is at the heart of the biggest issues of the time - from the transition to net zero, nature crises, housing shortages, economic prosperity and wealth inequality. Its new strategy focuses on people, power and prosperity – recognising the challenges in changing centuries of concentrated land ownership as well as the opportunities to deliver on Scotland’s ambitions for climate, communities and the economy. 98

Hamish Trench, Chief Executive, said: “People connect to Scotland’s land in many powerful ways. Land is central to Scotland’s big national ambitions for local democracy, climate, nature and economy and it matters enormously to people at a local level in both urban and rural communities. “Scotland’s land reform journey is about to take another important step with the forthcoming land reform bill from the Scottish Government. It is important we also continue momentum in shaping wider changes in law, policy and practice because land reform can help drive delivery in many areas from housing and development to nature and community development.

The plan outlines the Land Commission’s combination of bold thinking and research to shape changes in law and policy and its commitment

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to working with landowners, managers and communities to provide advice and support tangible change on the ground.”

estate Attractive mixed farming unit in the Scottish borders

The Scottish Government’s proposal to ban snaring By Ross Macleod, GWCT Head of Policy, Scotland

Galbraith is bringing to the market Whitlaw Farm, an attractive mixed farming opportunity in the Scottish Borders with a wellpresented traditional farmhouse, a useful range of buildings and 264 acres of land. The farm is in a scenic rural area, yet close to amenities, with the popular town of Lauder just two miles away, and Edinburgh City Bypass 20 miles. Duncan Barrie, a partner with Galbraith, said: “Whitlaw presents an attractive mixed landholding, combining a good range of modern and traditional farm buildings which may present development potential, a productive block of pasture and grazing land, and a large detached farmhouse. “The farmhouse itself is one of the major selling points, offering spacious and well-appointed accommodation over two floors situated in a private position but within commuting distance of Edinburgh. The adjacent and adaptable range of farm buildings offers wider agricultural and development options subject to obtaining necessary planning consents. The buildings are coupled with an extensive area of pasture and grazing land.”

Whitlaw Farmhouse has, on the ground floor, a spacious kitchen/dining/sitting room, separate utility room, pantry, boiler room, family room, sitting room, downstairs shower room, boot room and entrance hall. Upstairs there are five bedrooms, study, main bathroom with rolltop bath, and en-suite shower room to the master bedroom. The land is mainly pasture and grazing land, extending in all to about 264.8 acres (107 hectares), principally grade 4.2 and grade 5.1 according to the James Hutton Institute and largely situated in a single group with the exception of Lot 4. There are several areas of amenity woodland providing privacy and shelter and there is the potential to expand the environmental interest on the farm through Natural Capital schemes, if desired. Whitlaw Farm is available to buy either as a whole or in four lots as follows: • Lot 1: Offers Over £595,000 • Lot 2: Offers Over £430,000 • Lot 3: Offers Over £140,000 • Lot 4: Offers Over £50,000 As a Whole: Offers Over £1,215,000.

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The Scottish Government has announced that it intends to bring forward amendments to the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill to ban the use of snares in Scotland. The Bill is currently at stage 1 in the Parliament (General Principles). GWCT is naturally very disappointed with the announcement to ban all snares, including the AIHTSapproved humane cable restraints (HCRs) which we have invested many thousands of hours developing in… response to welfare concerns. The farming community also should be disappointed in the removal of this tool which has a part to play not just in protecting young livestock and poultry but also in on-farm biodiversity recovery. We note that the Scottish Government draws on a report from the British Veterinary Association and British Veterinary Zoological Society to support its position to ban the use of snares. It is unfortunate that there is no commentary within the report on evaluation of HCRs nor that in identifying alternatives, such as cage traps, in

response to the acknowledged need for predator control, these must be assessed on the same welfare evaluation criteria as restraints. Where we feel a sense of balance has been lost in this decision is in weighing the biodiversity crisis against welfare concerns. Time and again, our research has demonstrated that predator control can transform the fortunes of vulnerable ground-nesting birds such as curlew and lapwing, most of which are red and amberlisted. Protecting and recovering these birds will now become much harder unless provision is made to retain the use of the humane cable restraint under licence arrangements. The Scottish Government consultation on prohibiting all snares closed at the start of October. GWCT’s submission is available online. We hope that the farming community also will have taken issue with this backward step which flies in the face of the threat to young livestock and poultry, the protection of wild game and many other ground nesting birds and also in the delivery of wider biodiversity recovery.

www.gwct.org.uk/auchnerran/

estate Jobs, food and year-round conservation… rural communities speak up at Scottish Parliament event Scotland’s regional moorland groups hosted an event at the Scottish Parliament recently, to outline the many benefits of the work undertaken by Scottish estates and upland communities. MSP’s including Maurice Golden, Murdo Fraser, Edward Mountain, Kate Forbes, Rhoda Grant, Donald Cameron and Rachael Hamilton were updated on the activities of the six groups, from the Lammermuir Hills in the south to Loch Ness Rural Communities in the north. Scotland’s estates provide homes for 13,000 families and generate over 57,300 jobs, bringing in an estimated £2.4 billion pounds annually to the Scottish economy. Driven grouse shooting – a major land use on upland estates – contributes around £30 million to the Scottish economy, and supports the greatest number of jobs per hectare, according to the Scottish government’s own research. Maurice Golden MSP spoke at the event of the importance of gamekeepers for upland conservation: “Hard working men and women, whose passion, skill and graft to conserve rare heather moorland habitat, supports many wildlife species which thrive on our uplands – from rare Curlew, to Merlin to the majestic Golden Eagles that soar in the skies. Without the day to day work that goes on all year round by the staff on these estates, we are at real risk of losing a truly underestimated environment. This is why it is important that the Scottish Government listens to the knowledge of the people on the ground, and the experts who back them, to make the necessary amendments to make this grouse moor licensing system workable.” Lianne MacLennan, campaigns manager for Scotland’s regional 100

moorland groups said: “We established the moorland groups in 2015 and they have gone from strength to strength, demonstrating the importance of these jobs in fragile rural areas and showcasing game as a sustainable, healthy and delicious local food. The gamekeepers play a leading role in species conservation, carbon capture and peatland restoration too, with many of our most at-risk species thriving on grouse moors.” To date, 5,000 vulnerable families and local charities have received a donation of a hot meal, through the Game For Giving scheme, which has expanded to more areas and operates throughout the season. Gamekeepers and land managers from the regional moorland groups are also at the forefront of initiatives to improve Scotland’s biodiversity and boost rare moorland species. By managing the land to provide the right conditions for

ground-nesting birds, species such as Curlew, Black Grouse and Lapwing are doing well on grouse moors while they are almost absent in other parts of the country. Birds of prey are at their highest number for many decades, with significant increases in the population of species including Red Kite, Buzzard, Hen Harrier and Golden Eagle. Through the award-winning South of Scotland Golden Eagle Project, sporting estates in the Angus Glens and the Highlands have been at the heart of efforts to re-establish a thriving Golden Eagle population in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries & Galloway, by donating chicks to areas in the south with suitable habitat. Lianne MacLennan also warned of the risks to rural businesses from the ill-considered grouse moor licensing scheme, due to be introduced during this parliamentary term:

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“All it would take is one vexatious call from an antishooting campaigner and the individual concerned is at great risk of a fine of up to £40,000 and a 5-year prison sentence. In addition the estate itself may see its licence suspended or revoked, putting employees and their families at risk of losing their homes and livelihoods. These are rural communities who work tirelessly in all weathers to protect the natural environment and to ensure moorland species have the right conditions to prosper and thrive.” The regional moorland groups work closely with the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service, providing specialist equipment training, advice and support to help control the spread of upland wildfires and gamekeepers are often first on the scene when a wildfire does break out. Collectively over the years the moorland groups have raised around £100,000 for local charities.

estate LandownerGovernment partnership key to addressing wildlife and habitat loss

Collaboration between government, business and landowners is key to reversing the huge loss in wildlife and biodiversity both in Scotland and across Europe, an international congress being held in Edinburgh has heard. Wildlife Estates (WE) International Congress is being attended by representatives from 11 of the 19 member countries participating in Wildlife Estates, an accreditation initiative to promote the best habitat and wildlife management practices for farms and estates. Attendees are convening to discuss progress, share knowledge and see the work being undertaken on accredited landholdings in Scotland. Lorna Slater MSP, Scottish Government Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, attended a congress dinner and praised the “exemplary leadership” provided by Wildlife Estates in tackling the nature crisis. A roundtable discussion was also held with landowner representatives from Scotland and countries across Europe as well as Scottish Government officials, NatureScot chair Colin Galbraith and Grant Moir, CEO of the Cairngorms National Park Authority. Two site visits to accredited Scottish landholdings, including Bavelaw Estate in the Pentland Hills and Hopetoun Estate were also held for delegates to see innovative conservation projects first-hand in Scotland. Miles Montgomerie, chair of Wildlife Estates Scotland, said it was vital that a partnership approach was taken between private landowners and government across

Europe to deliver sustainable land management. Miles Montgomerie said: “Scotland has set clear but challenging targets to deliver biodiversity enhancement and climate-change mitigation and if we have a realistic chance of those being delivered, it needs to be a partnership between all parties – government, businesses, landowners as well as NGOs – to deliver that. One party cannot achieve it on its own. “We are fortunate that the Scottish Government has engaged really positively with Wildlife Estates Scotland and is using the practical information and data we gather on species and land management to inform its own decision-making. “We were pleased to talk with the Minister and Scottish Government officials, and it has been a useful opportunity to learn from other countries what collaboration they have in place between government and land managers to address the biodiversity crisis. Landowners and managers need to be viewed as trusted operators by government and that is what Wildlife Estates has been achieving in Scotland.”

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Substantial change is on the horizon By Eleanor Kay, Senior Policy Adviser Agriculture & Climate Change at Scottish Land & Estates

When the draft Agriculture & Rural Communities bill was published in late-September, the immediate consideration is what will Bill this do - and when might it be passed? As a framework bill what it will actually do will be entirely dependent on the secondary legislation that follows it, but we can expect change to be delivered by the end of next year. SLE has long discussed the importance of using the current transition period to focus on building business and climate resilience into land management strategies and we know enough about the direction of travel to start that process. Regardless of the conditionality applied to Tier 1 and Tier 2 of the future scheme, there is a clear reason to start making plans - climate change. A report on ‘The Impact of Extreme Weather Events on Scottish Agriculture’ written by SAC consulting for WWF shines a startling light on the current and future threat to the sector if we do not embrace adaptation and mitigation practices. The recent weather only confirms the importance of futureproofing our landscapes. As Scottish Government delivers its new agricultural legislation it faces several distinct challenges. How do we balance food security with nature restoration? Do we want landscape scale delivery or individual holding targets? When trying to change the behaviour of an entire sector, how do you bring along the sceptics? On food security we can confidently say that a

healthy soil ecosystem is going to result in increased food security in the long term. However, delivering healthy, resilient soils across the nation will not happen in a season and there is often a yield penalty as part of the transition, which is why it must be carefully managed and backed by sufficient support. There is clear evidence that landscape scale delivery will have the biggest impact on achieving biodiversity and climate targets. For this to work Scottish Government needs to decide what happens to the Land Use Strategy and Regional Land Use Partnerships. They will also need to consider how partnerships and collaborative working will be supported in the future. The inclusion of Continuous Professional Development (CPD) in the Bill, along with a Code of Practice for Sustainable and Regenerative Agriculture and the focus on guidance, makes it clear that the government intends to change behaviours within the sector. It is, however, a complex challenge to change practices that evolved from historic policy and we should not punish farmers for following policies of the past just because the science of best practice has evolved. Substantial change is on the horizon - but Scottish farming is well equipped to rise to it. More detail will come to the fore over the 18 months and our advice is to engage early and lean into advice and knowledge where it is being offered by the sector and government.

For more information www.scottishlandandestates.co.uk Telephone : 0131 653 5400 www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com

SCOTTISH COUNTRY LIFE

Contempt for the countryside By Jake Swindells

Jake Swindells

Do you ever get the feeling that you are constantly swimming against the tide? In our sector it seems to be getting harder and harder to operate the way we should be doing in order to continue our responsible custodianship of what we inherited. We know we have to move with the times, and it often makes complete sense to progress when and where we can, but why is it that our government insists that we should be going backwards, under the guise of progression? Welfare. A simple word but a very useful one for justifying some pretty shocking decisions. Who can argue when welfare is the supposed reason for poor legislation being introduced? We can, that’s who! The Scottish National Party have never really appeared to understand our rural way of life, but then again, they’ve never really tried to. Of late,

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it seems that they aren’t interested in gaining the rural vote, or maybe they think they just don’t need it… but will this be another nail in the coffin of a party that commits to “working with stakeholders” and “consulting with industry experts”. These words have been spoken in several rural affairs committee meetings and chamber debates, yet they are utterly empty phrases that slip off the tongues of Ministers and Senior Civil Servants so easily that it is starting to actually become offensive to many organisational representatives in Scotland. Numerous rural or wildlife-orientated public consultations have been published over the past couple of years and, each time, Ministers and MSP’s have stood in Holyrood and professed their commitment to working with those who

are the experts in their field, particularly those who the proposed legislation will affect the most. This was warmly welcomed, and our sector was happy to work with the Scottish Government to assist them in shaping legislation that works. In recent weeks and months, I have been approached by numerous sources who each relay their disgust at what seems to be developing into a dictatorship. They had noticed what I had also become aware of, and they aren’t happy. The Scottish Government commissioned an independent report by Lord Bonomy in relation to hunting with dogs. In his final findings, Lord Bonomy detailed a number of factual observations that were supportive of some elements of hunting with dogs, and these included some welfare aspects. When the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill

Ready for the drive

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was passing through the parliamentary process in 2022/23, many of these findings were presented to Ministers in support of good and workable legislation. They were ignored and instead whatever was helpful to the enforcement of this poor legislation was cherrypicked from the report and utilised. I might also add that bias opinion from animal activist organisations was also preferred over facts and evidence from rural organisations. The result is a poorly created act that now has overly restrictive equally poorly created guidance so that licenses are hard come by. Stinks of Beaver legislation too, does it not? The insult to injury is that our government sneaked this in without a word to any organisation in our sector and with only a matter of days before it was to be enacted. Another promise

broken since Ministers had stated that a workable process would be in place well prior to enactment so that practitioners could apply for licences in good time. Well, if one applied for a licence now, it would likely be weeks before it was granted. We have also spent years working on improvements to traps and trapping techniques. In December 2022, I was part of a small team who assisted in compiling a report on snaring for the Scottish Government. Snares have changed significantly and, since 2012, we have been using methods and equipment that hold the target species until it is despatched. In more recent times we have voluntarily moved to Humane Cable Restraints (HCR’s), which has again come with industry improvements in both techniques and hardware. This Autumn, our government have proposed a ban on these restraints, labelling them cruel and indiscriminate, showing again the complete ignorance of how our countryside practices work. I have just today read a scientific report by Professor Stephen Harris BSc PhD DSc who states “There is no evidence that professional/highly experienced operators catch fewer non-target species than other users…” It leaves me to wonder what experience in snaring the Professor actually has. The GWCT, an independent scientific research organisation, seem to think otherwise and have also submitted evidence to parliament that has been brushed under the carpet, and they have extensive snaring and trapping experience. I have operated snares since I was a boy, long before today’s humane methods were introduced. I have been an accredited operator as a Gamekeeper and progressed to running the snaring course and accrediting others to operate. I have also been a part of the Technical Assessment Group for Traps and Snares, whose role it

was to oversee welfare and progression where wildlife traps are concerned. I can tell you that, in my experience, Professor Harris is wrong. But the Scottish Government have exactly what they need, and that is to be able to say that they can draw on scientific evidence to introduce the legislation that they wish to. The SNP have an uncanny ability to cherry pick the scientific evidence that suits whilst ignoring all evidence that may be harmful to their seemingly pre-determined campaigns. Now we look to the Wildlife Management and Muirburn Bill, which is currently being scrutinised in parliament. To give you an idea of where this is going, the word “grouse” was dropped from the original title early on. Now this also derived from a welfare issue, namely raptor persecution, just as the Hunting with Dogs Act derives from a wrongly perceived opinion that most were acting outside of the law. So, the basis is similar, yet we have been told that if you ask for a licence to shoot grouse, you’ll get one! If grouse shooting has to be licenced, then an easy to obtain licence is welcomed. It leaves me to wonder though as to why a licence to work with more than 2 dogs has been made to be almost unachievable. Could it possibly have anything to do with the Green influence overshadowing the SNP, or those animal activist organisations aligned with the Green agenda? Perhaps it’s just a red coat thing. Whatever the reason, they haven’t finished yet, but I can see that there’s dissension within the ranks and our sector is already simmering. The process has to become a fair one once more and these pre-determined outcomes must be exposed. The Alliance is working with legal counsel to explore options to challenge our government and their agency NatureScot in the courts so that our members and the greater rural demographic have the representation they deserve.

Cattle shed lighting As the price of electricity

get the chance to access

has increased, spending

silage/water.

time

re-evaluating

your

Dry

cows

given

the

current lighting situation as

opposite light regime of

we head towards winter can

the milking cow (16 hours

help reduce the electricity

in darkness and 8 hours

bill. Lighting is important in

in light) have been known

the farming industry due to

to let out more milk than

the influence it can have on

in their previous lactations.

cattle e.g. increased milk

Farmers are now leaving

production,

their lighting on for set

fertility

and

dry matter intakes (DMI) in

amounts

time,

and

cows.

this has been seen to

On average cows need

encourage beef and dairy

at least 8 hours free of light

cows to maximise their dry

(darkness) to get enough

matter intakes.

rest, and it has been proven

Trying to optimise the

with research that the right

amount of natural light getting

amount

can

into the shed is always a

increase a dairy herd’s milk

priority, although maintaining

production by 6-15% on

the existing lighting in your

average,

shed is vital as any damage

lighting

between

1,000

- 2,000 litres per cow, per

cobwebs

may

affect

lactation.

overall performance. Regular

Leaving bright lights on

checks of the light lux

24/7 can have a negative

reading should be taken to

effect on your livestock and

ensure that the lights aren’t

energy bill. The cows will

losing lux over their lifespan.

not have the appropriate

The recommended lux for

time to rest and sleep,

cattle sheds is between 160–

and bullied cows may not

200 lux.

For further information please visit www.fas.scot/article/cattle-shed-lighting www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com

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NORTHERN ISLES News

Support scheme starts for Orkney farmers… This programme is a great opportunity to benefit from some excellent business support By Ethan Flett FARMERS in the county are being offered free business support, as part of a new scheme that starts this month. The 2023/24 Farm Resilience Programme is focusing on supporting farmers in North Ayrshire, West Aberdeenshire, and Orkney, with Orkney Livestock Association secretary Karen Johnston coordinating the scheme locally. Across the three areas, 60 livestock farming families will could be eligible from around 2,000 of support per family business. The Royal Countryside Fund (RCF) is again working in partnership with agricultural charity RSABI to deliver the series of free workshops, providing free business skills and environmental training and one-to-one support to farming families. The programme is open to dairy and livestock family farm businesses and aims to take a whole-farm and whole-family approach. An online Meet and Greet session for farming families interested in taking part in the programme was held last Thursday night. Ms Johnston explained how she had been involved in Orkneys agricultural scene since she left school, working 104

at the Orkney Action Mart and becoming secretary of the Orkney Livestock Association and a part of Hi Health herd care initiative. “Most of what I spent those years doing was encouraging the eradication of BVD from Orkneys cattle herds”, she explained. As for the new programme, Ms Johnston added: “This is something a wee bit different for me. I’m hoping to learn as much from it as the participants.” Since 2016, the Farm Resilience Programme has supported farming families throughout the UK to improve their business performance and make real changes on-farm. A recent independent evaluation of the programme found it delivers significant economic, social, and environmental benefits for farmers. Doug Bell, who is working with RSABI to manage the project in Scotland, urged farming families to make the most of the programme and the considerable potential benefits it will offer their farm businesses. He said: “This programme is a great opportunity to benefit from some excellent business support which is all provided completely free of charge, covering areas such as benchmarking and

improving on-farm efficiencies to reduce costs. “The workshops will also cover succession planning, integrating environmental management and business planning with the aim being to support farming families with their decision-making to enable their farm enterprises to become more adaptable and resilient.” Carol McLaren, chief executive of RSABI, said the charity was looking forward to welcoming the 2023/24 farming families set to take part in the

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programme, in the coming weeks. “With the draft Agriculture Bill just published and a time of change ahead, the timing is ideal for the 2023/24 programme which offers farming families a unique opportunity to really focus on their businesses and identify where savings can be made and profitability improved. “A wider benefit is that the programme pulls farmers together and offers a peer-to-peer opportunity to share experiences and suggestions.”

A fair deal for wool is all Crofters and farmers want Crofters and farmers are still denied a fair deal on the wool they produce – despite the ongoing major success of Shetland Wool Week. An agricultural consultant has raised concerns over the “absurd” reality after this year’s celebration of Shetland’s textile industry. Shetland Wool Week made a welcome return last month, drawing visitors from far and wide. Hailed as a massive success story, the festival has grown into an internationally acclaimed event since its inception 14 years ago. During that time, it has played a vital role in reconnecting people with a key part of Shetland’s rich heritage. But now, Osla Jamwal-Fraser, who started her job with SAC Consulting in March, says attitudes need to change if producers are to be given a fair deal. “It sounds absurd to say it, but so many folk still don’t think of wool as an agricultural product,” she said. “It’s considered as more arts and crafts, because that’s where the value of it lies. “It’s pretty dire that still we’re in a position where the knitwear heritage, and wool week, have taken off, but most folk sell their wool to get clear of it, and aren’t maybe even clearing the cost of shearing. “It’s not great to see something that is such a premium world famous product, and

actually the producers aren’t making any money out of it. And that is something that needs a lot of work put into it.” Mrs Jamal-Fraser warned it could take time to change attitudes enough to ensure producers are given a fair return for their investment. But, in the long term, she believes the move towards more environmental awareness will swing in favour of Shetland’s wool. “At the moment we’re still in a position where synthetic fibres are king of the market, because they’re cheap and easy to produce,” she said. “That will change as we gradually ween ourselves off oil. Folk are becoming slightly more conscious of the fact that natural fibres are also part of your consumer choices that have to be re-evaluated if you’ve got an environmental conscience and you’re trying to do the right thing. “I do think that gradually we will sing back to using more natural fibres, and people will become more and more conscious of the fact that cotton is great – but cotton has a massive environmental impact itself. “Wool, especially as we see it produced in Shetland, is an incredibly low environmental impact fibre and it’s incredibly useful for so many different things.”

Describing wool as “very high quality,” she said the current situation around poor returns for crofters was “absolute madness”. “What we need to be doing locally, I think, is built on the work that’s been done with wool week and begin to seriously value the textile tradition that we have, and for knitters and for folk that buy knitwear to begin to value it in a way that’s never been valued before. “I think historically, nobody would argue that knitters have ever been paid a fair amount for their work – never mind the producers of the wool.” She added: “Historically it was the wool that was the biggest earner. I think it is a shame that we are where we’re at, because both of those products are fantastic products, but in neither case are we actually extracting the value from them that they intrinsically hold. Mrs Jamwal-Fraser said lessons could be learned from Italy, where she spent 17 years before the Covid pandemic. There, she worked as a teacher of english as a foreign language and interpreter, before translating for businesses looking to expand into the UK market. Through that work she became aware of the efforts made by Italian businesses, typically in the food and drink sector, to protect their local produce.

“In Italy, what they do incredibly well, is leverage the traditional and unique characteristics of their local products – and they were fiercely proud of it – in collective marketing. “If you think about some of the things that you know about Italy, like Parmesan cheese or Gorgonzola, every one of those products will have a co-operative syndicate that exists to make sure that products that sell themselves as whatever it is are respecting the methods and characteristics typical to that product. “That isn’t just that they’re collectively marketing it – but they’re collectively regulating what that product is. “It’s a quality mark, but it’s also a marketing collective. They’re very, very good at marketing it and getting that value out of it.” Mrs Jamwal-Fraser was speaking after a presentation to farmers and crofters entitled Diversification on a Shoestring, which was also attended by Perthbased senior food and enterprise consultant, Calum Johnson. The event was attended by representatives from Farm Advisory Service TV, who were recording an episode around Shetland Wool Week and how important a role it played in reconnecting people with their crofting heritage.

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BOOK SERIALISATION

Will the lynx remain missing? In our final exclusive extract from his book ‘Regeneration’ Andrew Painting wonders how Mar Lodge Estate might look in 100 years’ time – and whether by then there will be a new feline predator in the Cairngorms If you want to talk to anyone about lynx in Britain, or indeed anyone in Britain about lynx, you should talk to Dr David Hetherington, woodland advisor for the Cairngorms National Park Authority. He literally wrote the book on the subject, The Lynx and Us. David is very keen to manage expectations. Lynx are not necessarily the ecological silver bullet that many conservationists expect. But nor are they the sheepsavaging monsters that you read of in the media. David’s simple argument is that the rest of Western Europe saw the extinction of lynx, just as happened in the UK, and that they are now living perfectly well with their newly returned neighbour. If other countries can do it, why can’t we? Lynx were extinct in Scotland by 1700 as by then there would not have been enough woodland left to support them. They don’t feature prominently in our cultural history because they steered clear

of humans. They are distinctly woodland creatures, ambush predators, stalking close and pouncing rather than running their prey down. Roe deer are about the right size for them to ambush safely and successfully in dense woodland. One lynx will take around fifty roe deer a year, given the chance. But lynx are harmless to humans, and are scared of us. David lists the three things that would be needed for a successful reintroduction: ‘Woodland, deer, and positive human attitudes. There’s the potential for a viable population of 400 lynx in the Highlands.’ Where should lynx be reintroduced? I ask. ‘There are many places where lynx could live in the Highlands, but the answer is, wherever the sociopolitics allow.’ What of the dangers to sheep? Understandably, the most vociferous opposition to lynx reintroduction is likely to come from sheep farmers. Lynx can

and do take sheep, but generally far fewer than people think: the number ranges from zero in countries such as Slovakia to 7,000-10,000 per year in Norway, where sheep in Norway are grazed in forests and where there are lower numbers of roe deer, its preferred prey species. ‘In Switzerland, where the majority of sheep are grazed in open pastures and where deer densities are high, fewer than thirty or so sheep are killed by lynx annually.’ There may also be benefits for farmers from having lynx around. ‘In some landscapes the numbers of foxes killed [by lynx] are high enough to suppose lynx may be targeting them. By killing and displacing foxes in Sweden and Finland, lynx have been shown to benefit capercaillie, black grouse and mountain hares, all species of conservation concern in the UK.’ Is it possible then to generate widespread support from farming communities for lynx? ‘I certainly

Lynx

Golden Eagle chick

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think it’s possible. It would require patience and skill and respect. Lynx reintroduction should be done democratically. This is an animal that folks here are very unfamiliar with. It’s very understandable that people will have concerns.’ Should we reintroduce lynx to Mar Lodge? I ask. (I should emphasise that there are no plans to do so.) David laughs. ‘The habitat is increasingly there, but Mar Lodge is simply not big enough. You could support maybe one male lynx and a couple of females. That’s nowhere near enough for a sustainable population. Lynx need huge landscapes. Unless you have lots of your neighbours onside then it’s a non-starter.’ The question here is not one of ecology. Instead, it poses profound questions of society: what does it mean to live alongside large animals? It would take the support of whole communities, and large areas of safety for the species outside of nature reserves, for the

BOOK SERIALISATION lynx to return to these shores. For now, the work of conservationists like David is research and awareness-raising: putting forward not only the facts, warts and all, but also the potential ethical and philosophical rationale for a reintroduction. If we feel that other countries should conserve their tigers and lions and leopards, and we can’t even tolerate the idea of living with a shy, Labrador-sized predator of roe deer, then what sort of civilization are we? For over a hundred years, people have come to Mar Lodge and walked out to study the eagles. Seton Gordon himself took the first photograph of a Deeside eyrie, in 1904. Some of the eyries have been in near-constant use for all of that time. Eagles will use and reuse nest sites over successive generations. Every year the eagles are compelled to add a new layer of sticks and twigs to the nests. They grow and grow, reaching ridiculous heights, sometimes metres tall. Sometimes they grow

so much that the eagles start bashing their heads against higher branches, at which point they start again on a new eyrie. I am heading to one such place now, musing as I walk, what Mar Lodge will look like in a hundred years’ time. Will the pinewoods consolidate their expansion, joined by broadleaves, willows, rowans, aspens and birches? Will willows return to Carn nan Seileach and Allt Coire an t-Seilich, rowans to Allt a’Chaorainn, pines to Glen Geusachan? Will crested tits return to the Deeside pinewoods, I wonder, after a centuries-long absence, scouting through the pines above carpets of twinflower? Will wrynecks, now extinct as a breeding species, return to the pinewoods? What southern species will join them – climate refugees, nuthatch, garden warbler? Will the pines move with deer, stalked not just by humans, but by other, unseen predators? Will Highland cattle return to the woods, grazing as they did for the

crofters of the eighteenth century, filling the role of the extinct aurochs, opening up glades for lekking capercaillie, creating new niches for wildflowers? Will our bogs and wet woodland support not just dunlin and golden plover, but also wood sandpiper, greenshank, green sandpiper? Can we protect what we have from the worst ravages of climate change – our red grouse, snipe, mountain hares? Will curlews continue to sing in the lonely glens? What will happen down on the Quoich Wetlands? Will beavers be repairing their dams, creating habitats for dragonflies, damselflies, kingfishers, salmon parr, lamprey? Will the lapwings, curlews and redshanks be joined by bugling cranes? Will sixtypound salmon once again throng the Dee? Will vast beds of freshwater pearl mussels once again clean our water for us? Will they be joined by other creatures we thought lost forever?

And what of people? Will a newly reinvigorated network of ecosystems stretching not just across Mar Lodge, but across the whole country, reinvigorate our own relationship with the wild, mitigating the worst effects of climate change, making us richer in spirit and purse? Will tweed-clad sportsmen be hunting red grouse and black grouse through willow scrub, and red deer through the expanding pinewoods? Will they be shooting new quarry species, wild boar, perhaps, and resurgent populations of snipe, woodcock, wigeon and teal? How many people will be enjoying this land, managed in trust for the benefit of all? These are the questions that we as a society will have to answer for ourselves. All of these suggestions are well within the realms of possibility, and all have been mooted by conservationists. Some are already becoming reality. Whether or not they happen is up to all of us. Is it the future that we want? Do we want it enough?

Mar Lodge

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Women in Ag Scotland Round-Up Vice-Chair, Carole Brunton, recaps the recent successful Women in Agriculture Scotland event held in Ayrshire Women in Agriculture Scotland brought together the people of Ayrshire and beyond to the fantastic venue at The Coo Shed, run by the Kerr family. After coffee and shortbread, Alison Kerr, owner of the business, gave us an insight into what went on at The Coo Shed and the history behind it. Alison used to work for a bank but with a change of career in mind studied horticulture before starting up the successful Corton Plants. The Coo Shed was opened in 2017 as an “add on” to this! Little did they know how this would change life as they knew it. Alison’s daughter Joanne works alongside her after coming home during covid. The vending machines on the farm, which are open 24/7, provide fresh milk from their grass-fed herd of Holstein Friesian Cows which are looked after by Alison’s husband, Willie, and their son David. Not only can you get fresh milk they now have a variety of milkshake flavours also – I tried the Irn Bru milkshake – delicious! This was followed by a tour where we saw the vending

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machines (which also have delicious goodies like banoffee pie and millionaires shortbread) and the kitchen where everything is made with locally sourced produce. Fun fact – They use 900 eggs per week! This was followed by dinner where we got to network and chat and make new friends and catch up with old friends. Alison commented it sounded more like a hen shed than a coo shed! After dinner we heard from the inspirational Callum Deboys, an athlete and chef, who told us about how a motorbike accident changed his life. Callum was on his way to work when he was involved in a serious accident and if it had not been for the Air Ambulance and the roadside medical care he would not be here. Callum was put into an induced coma after 20 hours in surgery and his parents had to make the heartbreaking decision 5 days later that his leg should be amputated to save his life. Three weeks later Callum was brought out of the coma to be told this devastating news – however after three days of feeling low and wondering what life would be like, Callum decided that

Women in Agriculture Scotland

Southern Belle LIES DAMN LIES AND STATISTICS

life was for living and took up sport after meeting a British Paralympian who came to the hospital to help him learn to walk. He has now competed in the Para Nordic Sit Skiing at the Beijing Paralympics in 2022 and has now decided that cycling is his next challenge. Everyone in the room was blown away by his positivity and inspired by his zest for life. Callum has also competed in Gordon Ramsay’s Next Level Chef where he got to the final and said that it was the most stressful thing he has ever done, but thoroughly enjoyed pushing himself and of course meeting Gordon Ramsay. This was followed by a Q & A session with both Alison and Callum where they were both grilled about a variety of topics but the one comment that struck me from both of them was “surround yourself by good people and you will be fine.” Something we can all learn from. I think it’s fair to say that we all went home feeling inspired by both speakers, full of good food, friendship and a trip to the vending machine on the way out! Women in Agriculture Scotland AGM Finally, the WiAS AGM will be held on Wednesday 8 November at The Den at Culross. This is an opportunity for our members to hear from the committee about the year’s achievements as well as from some cracking guest

speakers. Themed: Biodiversity and Banter, the event will welcome guest speaker Dr Jenna Ross OBE As a farmer’s daughter from Aberdeenshire, Jenna has a passion for driving innovation in agriculture. Jenna holds a PhD in Environmental Science, as well as an MBA, and has more than 10 years’ experience working on various international projects across North America, Europe and sub-Saharan Africa. She has completed a Nuffield Farming Scholarship, winning the Nuffield HSBC Silver Salver award in 2020, and is now the current Chairman of Nuffield Scotland. Jenna is also a Director of the Oxford Farming Conference, Honorary Fellow at the University of Aberdeen, Chartered Manager and Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute, Associate of CARAS, founding board member of the Africa Scotland Business Network and Co-Chair of the IOBC Slug & Snails Group. Jenna is highly published and has won an array of business and agricultural awards. She is also passionate about inspiring the next generation of agriculturalists through her work as a STEM ambassador, LANTRA industry Champion and Lead on the OFC Scholars programme. To register for the AGM, head to the WiAS website and register for our newsletter – www. womeninagriculturescotland.com – or via our social media channels.

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Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics. A phrase made popular by Mark Twain to describe the persuasive power of statistics to bolster a week argument. More and more the “news”, which recently included a man who had a long train journey (not in my view even newsworthy BBC) is using percentages with no real comparison. We regularly hear that there has been an increase of 100% or a reduction of 50% quoted to illustrate a point being made by all and every political argument. Clearly a 100% increase is only representative of the actual numbers involved. If for example there is a 100% increase in people eating worms that could be two people or 20,000 people depending on whether 1 or 10,000 were previously eating worms. Numbers are no longer used to make facts relevant. Throughout a discussion on the future of renewable energy on the radio, the contributor kept referring to gigawatts of energy produced. Toward the end of the discussion the interviewer finally asked what is a

gigawatt?, something I was wondering from the start. Apparently five gigawatts of electricity can power the whole of Scotland on the coldest day of the year for an hour. Now I don’t know if that is right or wrong, it must be right as it was on the BBC.. but finally, a measurement everyone can understand. Apparently according to a scientific source 1 GW is a little less than the power needed for Doc’s DeLorean to go back to the future! Who knew! Following the success of Three Dads Walking, the three men who sadly lost their daughters to suicide, they pushed the government to act in bringing suicide prevention forward as part of the school curriculum. The government responded by saying that they aim to have 60% of schools involved. Why wouldn’t you aim for 100%?? You only aim to be 60% successful? However, some statistics can be very helpful, so when one of my group asks what the weather is going to be like in the morning I can confidently reply that there will be a 50% chance of rain….It might rain and it might not.

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horses Insure your horse for less than £10 a month with SEIB Insurance Brokers! As part of a commitment to offer insurance for every horse and budget, SEIB Insurance Brokers LTD (SEIB) have revisited their Core and Classic Horse Insurance options to offer clients premiums starting at less than £10 per month. Following an in-depth review of their policies and client feedback, SEIB has found that flexibility and affordability are key considerations for those taking out horse insurance policies. The price of SEIB’s Core (accidental external injury only) Insurance policy has now been adjusted to reflect a reduced premium for horse owners. Amongst other new flexible benefits, SEIB’s Core Insurance now offers potential clients the opportunity for a budget friendly horse insurance quote in under five minutes, an option for horse insurance without needing a vetting and the ability to increase or decrease cover levels. This no fuss insurance allows clients to keep premiums down with the added benefits of no administration fees plus interest free payments. SEIB’s Chief Executive Officer Suzy Middleton said: “We take our commitment to our client’s seriously here at SEIB, and we always want to ensure we are giving them what they need, both in terms of cover and price. Following feedback from our clients, we’ve reviewed and updated our SEIB Core and Classic Horse Insurance offerings to add even more flexibility with options for every horse and every budget.” In addition to these improvements on their SEIB Core Horse Insurance, a 20% CoInsurance is now a key feature of SEIB’s well-established, trusted and popular, Classic Horse Insurance policy. Equestrian Business Services Manager at SEIB, Steph Ellis explained: “Co-insurance helps keep premiums low for our clients. If a claim is made on a CoInsurance Classic horse policy, the 110

arrangement is that the insurer will pay out 80% of the claim and the client will therefore pay the 20% remainder plus a fixed excess of £165.00. This allows our clients to have increased flexibility with a cheaper premium, coupled with the peace of mind of having comprehensive horse insurance. Another area of SEIB’s Classic Horse Insurance in which flexibility has increased is a unique option for a higher excess, up to the value of £750. This feature allows clients to benefit from a lower premium and is designed to adapt to the needs of both the owner and the horse through the various stages of ownership. Suzy Middleton continued: “With 60 years’ experience in the business behind us, SEIB’s updated Horse Insurance products now offer something for everyone, to suit all budgets. Should the worst happen and a claim is needed, our clients know they can rely on a quick and efficient service from our award-winning claims team. In line with these changes, the SEIB

website has been streamlined with an easy to digest table, setting out policy features in clear language.” To help announce these new changes and improvements to their policies offered, SEIB are working with long-standing clients, and now, new Brand Ambassadors, Emily Dobson of EMD Eventing and Tina Wallace of Life on the Left Rein. Emily and Tina and their horses benefit from cover through SEIB’s Core, Classic and Veteran policies. Emily said: “Having had my horses and trailer insured with SEIB Insurance Brokers for over 10 years, I’m now absolutely thrilled to announce I’ll be joining SEIB as their latest Brand Ambassador and I’m looking forward to the start of our new partnership, officially launching at this year’s Your Horse Live!” Tina added: It’s an honour to be associated alongside SEIB Insurance Brokers, who boast over 60 years of heritage and expertise in helping protect the equestrian

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community. I’m delighted to be joining SEIB as their new Brand Ambassador and I can’t wait to be joining Emily and the rest of the SEIB team at Your Horse Live.” Emily and Tina are set to be the faces of these new and improved horse insurance policies from SEIB and will be hosting an exclusive meet and greet on the SEIB Stand at Your Horse Live from the 10th to 12th November 2023. The cost-of-living crisis continues to bite within the equestrian community. The SEIB team is made up of equestrians who understand first-hand the financial pressures horse owners are under. The team knows how important is it for their customers and their horses to have effective cover in order to remain happy and healthy. These policies are available to purchase online now at seib.co.uk/ horse-insurance. To find out more about SEIB Insurance Brokers and other policies, please visit www.seib. co.uk.

Aquaculture Global NGOs unite to urge Canary Islands to reject first octopus farm ahead of World Octopus Day

To mark World Octopus Day (Sunday 8 October), 76 NGOs, scientific experts and public figures around the world have united to call on the Canary Islands government to reject plans to build the world’s first commercial octopus farm in Gran Canaria, Spain. NGOs including Compassion in World Farming, Greenpeace Spain, Eurogroup for Animals, Oceana UK and experts – such as Peter Singer and Jennifer Jacquet have joined forces to send a letter to the Canary Islands government urging them to reject a planning application by company Nueva Pescanova to build an octopus farm in the Port of Las Palmas. The letter explains that allowing the farm to go ahead would cause animal cruelty, environmental damage and may negatively impact the islands’ communities and tourist trade. In 2021 Compassion in World Farming published a report, Octopus Farming: A Recipe for Disaster, which showed that octopuses’ exceptional

characteristics make them uniquely unsuitable for intensive farming. The report reviewed the scientific evidence and revealed how octopuses are solitary in nature and generally live and hunt on their own. Confining them to underwater tanks could lead to aggression or even cannibalism. In March 2023, the NGO published a second report with Eurogroup for Animals Uncovering the Horrific Reality of Octopus Farming, a report - which reviewed the plans for the proposed farm where the company plans to rear approximately one million octopuses every year, producing 3,000 tonnes of octopus meat. The plans confirmed the NGOs’ fears, revealing disturbing practices such as the use of ice slurry for slaughter – a method scientifically recognised as causing cruelty. Over the last three years, international opposition to octopus farming has soared with numerous NGOs, animal welfare experts, environmentalists, conservationists and politicians expressing their

outrage at plans to confine these unique animals in underwater farms. Washington State in the USA has proposed a Bill banning octopus farming, and the UK has legally recognised cephalopods as sentient beings. Hawaiian authorities have closed the Kanaloa octopus farm, and, in Canada, a governmental petition was proposed to ban octopus farming. Elena Lara, Research Manager at Compassion in World Farming and author of both reports, said: “This World Octopus Day, we should be celebrating these unique, fascinating, and intelligent wild animals rather than planning ways to exploit them for profit by confining them in underwater factory farms. It’s time to end factory farming – not expand it. “They belong in our oceans, not in farms. They are sentient creatures that feel pain, suffering and distress, just like other animals. Not only would farming them be cruel and unnecessary, it

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would also be unsustainable and damaging to our oceans. They would need to be fed wild-caught fish in captivity – a practice that would contribute to overfishing and food insecurities in already vulnerable communities around the world. “We strongly urge the Canary Islands authorities to do the right thing and reject these cruel and environmentally damaging plans to farm octopuses once and for all. And to reiterate this message, supporters all over the world will be making their own views known by taking part in a coordinated social media action this World Octopus Day aimed at the Canary Islands government.” Thousands of people are expected to take part in the action this Sunday. They will send their own messages to the Canary Islands government by following the hashtag #StopOctopusFarming and tagging them @PresiCan on X/Twitter, @gobcanarias on Instagram, or PRES.Gobcan on Facebook. 111

finance

RCF Farm Resilience Programme Brings £120,000 of Business Support to Scotland Farmers in North Ayrshire, West Aberdeenshire and Orkney will have the opportunity to benefit from free business support, worth around £120,000, via the 2023/24 Farm Resilience Programme which started last month. The Royal Countryside Fund (RCF), formerly The Prince’s Countryside Fund, is again working in partnership with agricultural charity RSABI to deliver the series of free workshops, providing free

business skills and environmental training and one-to-one support to farming families. In total, 60 livestock farming families in the three areas will benefit from around £2000 of support per family business, and interested farmers can apply to join the programme now via https:// www.royalcountrysidefund.org. uk/how-we-help/family-farmbusinesses/farm-resilienceprogrammes-sign-up/.

The programme is open to dairy and livestock family farm businesses and takes a wholefarm and whole-family approach with three excellent coordinators for each of the areas now appointed. Karen Johnston is coordinator for the programme in Orkney, Gwen Chalmers in West Aberdeenshire and Kirsty Mitchell in North Ayrshire. Since 2016, the Farm Resilience Programme has supported farming families

throughout the UK to improve their business performance and make real changes on-farm. A recent independent evaluation of the programme found it delivers significant economic, social, and environmental benefits for farmers. You can find further general information on The Royal Countryside Fund’s website www.royalcountrysidefund.org. uk

Virgin Money Supports the World’s First Carbon Negative Tree Nursery based in Kirkaldy Fife In 2018, Renwick Drysdale came home to the family farm in Fife, after ten years of working abroad and completing his Masters in Ecological Economics. He carried with him the memory of planting trees on the farm as a young boy, and the seeds of a vision which, with a £2.5m loan from Virgin Money’s Agri E-Fund, is rapidly growing into a stunningly successful and pioneering eco-business called Akre. At the heart of the business is a remarkable one-acre greenhouse nursery that gives the company its name, and allows 32-year-old Renwick and his team to grow millions of new trees each year with an efficiency that makes it the first verified carbon negative facility of its kind in the world. Built on 112

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finance a reclaimed slag heap, the Akre nursery will produce 2.3 million tree seedlings in 2023 and over 6.4 million next year, grown from seeds gathered from the land where they will ultimately be planted. Compared with using conventional methods, the highly efficient nursery saves the equivalent of around 80,000 miles travelled by car each year. The cutting-edge glasshouse that provides the Akre seedlings with perfect growing conditions has been designed on the principles of sustainable intensification and the circular economy, maximising the output of seedlings on the smallest possible footprint of land. Seeds are grown in a state-of-the-art passive propagation system that promotes healthier and faster root development and higher yield per plant, and the whole nursery is waste-free and operates entirely off grid on solar generated energy and recycled harvested rainwater.

Impressive as their supersustainable nursery is, growing trees is just one branch of a wider vision that Renwick Drysdale has developed with the support of Virgin Money. The venture began as a ‘natural capital consultancy’ enabling businesses, investment funds, communities, landowners, and private investors to develop and

deliver ecological restoration plans. A small but growing third arm of Akre helps customers to identify and manage opportunities for biodiversity and carbon credit trading. “Our mission is to empower businesses and communities to help the planet,” says Renwick. “We offer the knowledge, networks and tools that allow

clients to understand the full potential of natural capital and make the transition from an extractive to a regenerative business model. Our whole approach is geared to making it as easy and productive as possible for clients to enhance habitats, purify air, mitigate climate change, and dramatically reduce their environmental impact.”

Capitalise on slurry grants

With uncertainty over what government help will be available in 2024, making use of existing slurry grants to improve storage, management and to cover slurry is being advocated by industry specialists. Terry Baker, managing director of Tramspread says: “The government wants all slurry covered by 2027 to lower agricultural emissions

and there are some generous grants being offered now. The Slurry Infrastructure Grant and the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) currently offer money towards storage, mixers and separators which are all vital to managing slurry effectively.” Mr Baker suggests that farmers should make use of existing grants to reduce capital

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expenditure and use slurry more efficiently. “Grants aimed at extending storage to six months, based on livestock numbers, and further grants to cover, mix and separate slurry are currently available with up to 50 percent of the cost being offered. Mixing will keep slurry homogeneous whilst separation can remove up to 25 percent of solids. Together

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finance this will reduce the amount of storage needed and enable slurry to be pumped longer distances more efficiently,” he adds. The Slurry Infrastructure Grant only applies to farms with pigs, beef or dairy cattle. It includes contributions to lagoons, steel, concrete and bag tanks. It will also contribute to covering storage that has been extended or newly installed. This can be with floating or fixed covers. “Bag tanks are an economical and easy way to expand slurry storage. To qualify for grant funding a bag tank must hold at least 2,500 cubic metres. A significant benefit is that bag tanks can be located almost anywhere and rarely require planning permission.” “For farms expanding storage to meet the six-month target, a floating cover like Hexacover is a cost-effective way to meet the impending 2027 legislation,” says Mr Baker.

A further round of grants is planned for 2023 and potentially another in 2024. However, there is uncertainty about how livestock farming is going to

Less than half of farmers have a succession plan and the percentage hasn’t moved in three years, according to research from leading rural insurer NFU Mutual. NFU Mutual’s annual Voice of the Farmer survey extensively interviewed a representative sample of more than 1,700 farmers from across the UK.

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the grants available, and make better use of slurry today, rather than wait to see what might happen next year,” concludes Mr Baker.

More than half of farmers still don’t have a Succession Plan

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be supported beyond this, and farmers are being urged to take advantage before it is too late. “We are advising customers to act now, make the most of

It found that just under half of farmers (48%) have a succession plan in place in 2023. More than a third of farmers (36%) don’t have a plan because they don’t think it’s relevant to them while 16% admit succession planning is relevant, but they haven’t got round to it yet. Gregor Belcher, farming specialist at NFU Mutual, said: “It’s been tough for farmers to plan with any great certainty over the past few years. “The post-Brexit transition in subsidies, rampant inflation, slow pace of farming policy, and changing prices to food, fertiliser and fuel have all impacted the ability to put in long-term business plans. “Deciding who to hand the farm down to and how to do that drops down the priority list when there are more immediate needs to tackle. But even in tough environments, the importance of future-proofing the farm does not disappear. “In some cases, these challenges will have triggered a need to start thinking about succession, but even those farmers who don’t believe a plan is relevant to them can put in a series of small simple steps to protect their farm.”

Small steps you can take to protect your business Farms without a natural successor can still protect themselves. Partnership Protection and Key Person Insurance are two simple ways to protect the financial future

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of the farm. Sean McCann, Chartered Financial Planner at NFU Mutual, explained: “Even if now isn’t the right time to make a succession plan for your farm, there are still some simple measures you can put in place to protect its future. “Thinking of the ‘what ifs’ is a useful starting point, especially if you’re in a partnership. “One of the great risks of a business partnership is that one of the partners may die, with his or her share of the business passing to someone else. That person may have little interest in the business or - at worst - may be hostile to your objectives. “Equally, a partner who suffers a serious illness may want to retain the option of continuing in the business or be compensated for their exit from the business. “The ideal solution is to have a partnership agreement in place that sets out what happens if one of the partners dies, becomes seriously ill or wishes to exit the business. “This, together with each of the partners having up to date wills in place, will help ensure the business ends up in the right hands at the right time.”

FARMING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE Next issue out January 2024 Subscription page 127

machinery New Merlo machine will help Scotland’s leading tree management A major investment by one of Scotland’s leading tree management and weed control specialists has made the removal of diseased and dying trees not only safer and more controlled, but also immeasurably faster. Complete Weed Control, which now covers the greater part of Scotland from its newlyacquired base in Larkhall, Lanarkshire, has spent £240,000 on a Merlo Roto 50.26s with GMT 050 TTC grapple saw tree removal machine, which effectively safely dismantles even the largest trees. The company is one of a very few enterprises in Scotland with access to this level of technology and it is placing itself to be a significant part of the solution to the problem of Ash Dieback disease, symptoms of which became increasingly visible across the country during 2020. Current evidence suggests that the disease, which has swept across the south of England, will

cause the death of 50% to 75% of Scotland’s 11 million mature Ash trees over the next two decades. There is no known cure for the disease. Keith Gallacher, director of Complete Weed Control operations in Scotland, said: “This scourge is a tragedy for our landscapes, in which Ash trees are iconic, but it creates unique problems for those tasked with dealing with the outcome. “While we would normally send climbers up to deal with trees, Ash Dieback makes the branches brittle, and therefore unsafe, so we have to remove the working-from-height element from the equation. “The Merlo Roto can reach up from ground level to remove large parts of the affected tree and bring them to operators who can further dismantle them for removal and disposal. “The machine can lift nearly 5,000 kilos in one grab and is ideal for working in confined or

awkward spaces, providing there is a minimum of 5.5m working

width. It is a great addition to our asset portfolio.”

Scotland’s Plough and Cultivation Centres to Open January 2024

Two long standing companies have joined forces with the opening of plough centres for Scotland. We are pleased to announce that as of the first of January 2024 Netherton Tractors Ltd will sell exclusively the range of ploughs and cultivation machinery from Ovlac. The area in agreement being north of the Forth coast to coast. “I am extremely optimistic about this new venture and the opportunity of working with a

formidable company, who’s vast knowledge of ploughing ingrained in all the members of staff, combined with the engineering excellence from Ovlac, will further advance our foothold into the Scottish market. Having sold Ovlac for over a decade, I can honestly say that Scotland is regarded as the Holy Grail for ploughs, one reason pretty well all of Scotland is ploughed, second reason the standard of ploughing in Scotland is extremely high.” www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com

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machinery commented Nick Clark Ovlac UK Sales Manager. “We are excited and proud to start what I am sure will be a very long and fruitful journey with such a renowned company as Netherton Tractors Ltd. We at Ovlac will work in close cooperation with Netherton supporting them with our expertise as a plough and tillage specialist to provide the highly demanding Scottish farmers with the highest quality machines and service.” commented Jorge Calvo CEO Ovlac Spain. We at Netherton Tractors are extremely proud to be entering into an agreement with Ovlac.

This gives our company a great opportunity to further develop the brand with equipment that we feel is a perfect fit for our area. “Ovlac’s build quality and design detail were two of the things that particularly impressed us, along with their very comprehensive warranty” commented Netherton Tractor’s General Manager Garry Smith. Ovlac offer a full range of mounted and semi-mounted ploughs, along with a wide range of primary cultivation equipment. Netherton Tractors has depots at Perth, Glenrothes, Finavon (head office), Turriff, and Nairn.

Fendt leads at Lamma 24 Celebrating its 50th year in the UK, Fendt will demonstrate its largest range of tractors, machinery and technology at Lamma 2024. The Ideal 10T combine with Superflow 12.2m header, Rogator 655 sprayer and a wide range of grassland machinery will feature alongside technology including the new ErgoSteer joystick and FendtONE offboard system, all under the new brand promise, ‘Leaders Drive Fendt’. “By working with our customers and dealers we have refocussed our efforts to deliver new products that help them pioneer more sustainable farming methods. Farming systems are changing, and we want to provide machinery that can drive the agricultural

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efficiencies needed today and in the future,” explains Fendt’s Richard Miller. A wide range of grassland machinery including the Former rake, Lotus tedder, Tigo forage wagon and Katana 850 forage harvester will feature on the Fendt stand. “Our grass kit offer has grown significantly and is a popular choice for operators looking to improve forage quality. Whilst engineering advancements have been made to improve operating efficiencies, we are also using Lamma to demonstrate how FendtONE can help gather vital data to improve decisionmaking,” says Mr Miller. FendtONE on board is not new, but the technology now features in all tractor models

and the offboard office software has been updated for 2024 to gather more data and measure the efficiency of every task.

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This, Fendt says, enables users to reduce fuel consumption, cover the ground faster and make incremental improvements.

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machinery The Vogelsang BlackBird 30 meter offers even greater flexibility Genuine four-time folding to the selected working width without any overhang Compact, accurate distribution: ExaCut ECM precision distributor without air suction the new 30-meter trailing shoe linkage from the BlackBird product family, Vogelsang GmbH & Co. KG will present a spreading linkage at the Agritechnica (Nov. 12– 18, 2023, hall 23, stand B46, Hanover Exhibition Center) that can be flexibly adapted to meet contractors’ differing needs. “Thanks to the intelligent way the folds and the telescopic arm interact, we are able to offer our customers maximum flexibility in terms of working

widths,” says Henning Ahlers, Sales Manager Agricultural Technology Germany. Thanks to its innovative linkage section management, the new BlackBird trailing shoe linkage allows working widths of 30, 27, 24 and 21 meters without any overhang to the selected width. This innovation enables contractors to spread liquid manure precisely and efficiently on customers’ fields and also means they can adapt flexibly to on-site conditions. The BlackBird 30 meter can be attached to all brands of liquid manure tanker currently on the market, making the BlackBird far more compact to transport than most of its market competitors.

Installed as standard: four ExaCut ECM precision distributors without air suction

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machinery trailing shoe linkage. The youngest member of the ExaCut family, presented at the last EuroTier, does not need air suction and is hence a particularly compact model. Its innovative rotor concept ensures the even supply of liquid manure to the hose outlets. The ExaCut ECM therefore offers high distribution accuracy and powerful cutting force, thanks to its self-sharpening blades.

New Faunamaster seeders from BOSS ORV BOSS ORV has been appointed as the sole UK distributor of Faunamaster Seeders. These are multifunctional and timesaving seed drills designed for use with an ATV, UTV or tractor.

The Faunamaster, which comes from the Danish company Faunamaster ApS, sows seeds of virtually any size to a depth of up to 80mm. It is ideal for sowing into existing grass fields, wildflower meadows, tilled soil, paddocks or any area where normal planter equipment is too big. It’s of great benefit in parks and gardens to plant flowers or herbs and the compact size when used with an ATV or UTV ensures it leaves minimum marks. The seeder handles seed in many sizes, from small flower seeds to clover, alfalfa, beans, kale and corn, and can apply fertiliser at the same time as seeding. A seed table shows the settings for each

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type of seed. On the seed meter, there are 2 funnels: the blue is for small seeds, the yellow is for big seeds like corn, and seed blends. The capacity of the seedbox is 45 litres and the fertiliser box is 40 litres. Connecting the Faunamaster to an ATV or UTV ball hitch is made easy and a built-in actuator allows the driver to operate the planter without getting off the ATV. When fully raised, the clearance is 200mm (7.87) inches and when used with an ATV, the seed flow is easily adjusted through the handlebars. The Faunamaster uses discs to cut into soil and where it is used for no-till planting, the

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machinery recommended depth is not exceeding 10mm (0.4in). Depth control is via two bolts located on the wheel arm. The working width is 1050mm (41.3in). There are seven adjustable rows with the distance between them being 150mm in 7 rows, 350mm in 3 rows, 525mm in 2 rows. The Faunamaster weighs in at 260 kg and has a recommended working speed of 4-6 km/h. BOSS ORV, which is also the UK distributor of Corvus Off-Road Vehicles, will sell the Faunamaster through specially appointed dealers and their own UK dealer network.

FARMING SCOTLAND MAGAZINE Next issue out January 2024 Subscription page 127

New Electric Fendt Fendt has launched a new electric tractor designed for use in vineyards, orchards, greenhouses and urban areas. The battery powered e107 V Vario benefits from Fendt’s Vario transmission and the FendtONE operating system. The power unit produces 90 horsepower which enables it to reach up to 40km/h. The 100kWh battery will power the e107 V for between 4 and 7 hours and it will charge from 20% to 80% in just 45 minutes. AGCO is already working on a ‘range extender’ to offer longer operating times in the future. However, the tractor already benefits from a foot switch that enables the tractor to regenerate and recycle power. At just 1.07 metres wide and 2.45 metres high, the e107 is compact and is exceptionally

quiet, making it well suited for use around livestock and in public areas. Being electric it will appeal to operators looking to achieve carbon neutral or negative status and is likely to appeal to farms able to create electricity through wind, water, or AD.

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The e107 V has three operating modes – Eco, Dynamic and Dynamic+. Eco is for lower power applications and Dynamic is for more power intensive work, with the + function only used to make additional power available for a limited period when the

machinery tractor is under strain. The battery also benefits from Fendt’s thermal management which prevents extreme temperatures affecting tractor performance. Existing Fendt customers will be pleased to know that the e107 V is compatible with all current Fendt implements and there is both a front and rear PTO. There are three fully-fledged attachment spaces and up to six independent hydraulic valves in the centre, as well as four hydraulic valves in the rear. The 4-post cab of the e107 V Vario offers plenty of headroom and the large door gives easy access. There is no exhaust pipe, which provides better all-round visibility, and operators will also be able to preheat or cool the cab and take advantage of heated front and rear windows to offer better visibility in cold conditions. The e100 V is packed full of useful technology, largely lifted from its diesel-powered family.

FendtONE onboard includes a multifunction joystick, 10 inch digital dashboard, 12 inch terminal in the headliner

and an optional 3L joystick. Operators will also benefit from the Fendt Guide guidance system, automatic section

control and variable rate control which can all be selected using individually assignable tiles in the terminal.

CLAAS: HVO approval and initial factory fill for tractors, combine harvesters and forage harvesters

All CLAAS agricultural machinery that meets the latest emissions standard will be approved for operation with hydrotreated vegetable oils (HVOs). Furthermore, the machines will be filled with the sustainable biofuel before they leave the factory gates at Harsewinkel and Le Mans. Protecting the climate and reducing environmentally harmful CO2 emissions play an

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machinery increasingly important role in agriculture. CLAAS is aware of this responsibility and is looking closely at a number of different sustainable drive technologies. The approval of hydrotreated vegetable oils (HVOs) for all agricultural machines that meet the latest emissions standard (Stage V) marks a significant step in this direction. This means that the machines will be able to run on this sustainable liquid biofuel in future. Dr Martin von Hoyningen-

Huene, Executive Vice President BU Tractor: “There are no real alternatives to the combustion engine for high-performance agricultural machines in the foreseeable future. So we need solutions that reduce fossil fuel emissions associated with this type of drive, yet do not have significant adverse effects on manufacturing costs, consumption, weight and durability. Hydrotreated plant oils are an ideal choice because they already exist and their positive

environmental impacts are immediately apparent.” In agriculture, diesel fuels are the main energy source for mobile farm machines. At the same time, climate targets require us to find alternatives to fossil fuels. A gradual de-fossilisation of agricultural production processes and agricultural machinery is needed in several respects, and this will shape the development of future drive systems. However, this will only be feasible in

practice with the backing of appropriate supporting policies. While battery-powered drive offers advantages for low engine outputs, this technology reaches its limits with increasing power and energy requirements. A JAGUAR forage harvester with a battery-powered drive would have to be at least twice the size and twice the weight of a current model with combustion engine and liquid fuel to achieve a comparable performance and range.

New Lemken harrow a champion on uneven ground With the Thulit, LEMKEN presents its first weeder harrow and rounds off its range of mechanical weed control implements. In developing this machine, the agricultural machinery specialist broke new ground to now launch a new concept with four beams and eight rows of harrow tines. Complex spring combinations are replaced by an innovative hydraulic tine pressure adjustment, which ensures that the tines deliver more even pressure across the full working surface. The pressure can be continuously adjusted to up to five kilograms while driving. As a result, the Thulit does an outstanding job during the sensitive crop growth stages. The tines are arranged with a line spacing of 31.25 millimetres and ensure blockage-free work. Stable, true-to-track and wear-free tine bearings ensure optimum weed removal. A straightforward quickchange system makes it easy to replace the harrow tines. The Thulit features precise and continuous ground contour following with consistent tine pressure, making it a highly versatile implement, even on very uneven ground and in ridge crops. Due to its generous clearance height and clever design that removes the need for the usual springs, it is almost impossible to find plants getting caught underneath the frame. The flexible hydraulic system further supports width section control within the 122

frame sections to avoid multiple passes across parts of the field. Minimising the frame weight was a core aim in designing this machine. To achieve this, the number of moving parts was significantly reduced in comparison to similar models, ensuring that the Thulit can also be used easily with tractors with low lifting capacity. The driver has a clear view of the harrow tines during work and therefore a constant view of work results. For transport, the tines fold in automatically for an increased level of safety.

The Thulit harrow will initially be available in limited quantities

in working widths of six and nine metres in spring 2024.

New Puma 185-220 tier 3 tractors provide users with multiple performance benefits The latest Puma series tractors from Case IH offer multiple upgrades over the models they replace, covering areas from serviceability to productivity to comfort, and incorporating technology that maximises efficiency. They look, feel, drive and are built differently to their predecessors. Designed to meet the needs of agricultural business users who need a productive tractor www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com

machinery with technology features that maximise efficiency, the new Puma 185, Puma 200 and Puma 220 have respective maximum power outputs of 200hp, 220hp and 240hp, rising to 225hp, 245hp and 260hp when a power boost is automatically engaged during PTO and road transport operations. Identifiable by their distinctive new front-end styling, which can include LED upgrades to the standard lighting package, the new models can be specified with PowerDrive 19-speed full powershift or CVXDrive continuouslyvariable transmissions. The new Puma tractors are powered by an updated Tier 3 FPT NEF engine, which is turbocharged and intercooled and, like the unit on the outgoing Puma tractors, is equipped with an internal exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system. Fuel consumption has been cut by an average 3.6%, while engine service intervals have been

extended by 25% to 750 hours, the best industry figure in this power class, and the transmission oil change interval is now 1,500 hours, up from 1,200 hours, with benefits for maximum field

time/minimal downtime, and for ownership costs. To meet local requirements and protect the engine from low quality fuel, a heavy-duty fuel filter is optional. Diesel capacity is 372

litres, an optional auxiliary tank adding a further 86 litres, with the combined 458-litre total representing a 13% increase over outgoing Puma models, for longer gaps between refuelling.

Weaving Machinery Presents the GD and the New Lynx Drill After a decade-long hiatus, Weaving Machinery is preparing to return to the world’s leading agricultural machinery trade fair in Hannover to promote its range of low-disturbance seed drills to a global audience. On display, the British manufacturer will have the well-proven GD Disc Drill in both its mounted and trailed formats as well as a new weapon in its armoury – the Lynx Drill – ensuring the brand can attract every scale of arable farmer.

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machinery “When we were here in 2013, we were a small fish in a big pond, since then we have extensively developed our seeding technology and grown our manufacturing operations unrecognisably. Fast forward to 2023 and our sales across the UK and France are very

strong and our overseas presence is growing, so it feels like the right time to return.” Says Simon Weaving on his decision to bring the brand back to the German show. “The trailed GD drill has been our bestseller beyond the

British border despite fairly limited exposure, after a few busy years in our domestic market, we are ready and excited to come to Agritechnica and throw our hat in the ring as one of Europe’s best seed drill manufacturers.”

Early this year Weaving released the latest upgrades to the mounted GD Disc Drill and at the show in November, these same features will be seen on its trailed sibling for the first time. The refreshed Trailed GD is now ergonomically designed with a new tubular coulter frame and an upgraded GD Coulter that offers more constant pressure and easier set-up due to the incorporation of a unique gas spring system.

Trelleborg drives the future of agriculture with the new TM1 Eco Power tyre: the sustainable tyre choice

Trelleborg continues to set higher industry standards in agriculture with the launch of its TM1 Eco Power tyre, its newest and most eco-sustainable tyre. Made from 65% recycling and bio materials, the TM1 Eco Power is a testament of Trelleborg on-going commitment to a more productive and sustainable future for agriculture, aiming at decreasing fossil fuel dependency and increasing product circularity, while vastly improving customer’s operational performance. Engineered for the new generation of electric tractors, TM1 Eco Power tyre not only prioritises sustainability but also features ultra-low rolling resistance enabling extended vehicle’s battery usage and low energy consumption. 124

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machinery Alessio Bucci, Product Marketing Senior Manager at Yokohama TWS says: “We are proud to be setting new tyre standards with the introduction of advanced solutions like our TM1 Eco Power tyres. Agriculture is currently undergoing a major transformation, calling for greater sustainability and productivity. We’re working to answer this call by bringing state-of-theart technology for increased performance to tyre solutions designed to make a difference in

day-to-day customer’s operations starting with our TM1 Eco Power, the most sustainable tyre choice.” From 12 to 18 November 2023, the new TM1 Eco Power tyre will be shown live for the first time at Agritechnica, the world’s leading trade fair for agricultural machinery, in Hanover (Germany) on the Trelleborg Booth B04, Hall 20. At the same place, on November 13 from 2pm a dedicated press conference will be held to present the new tyre and all its innovative features.

Fendt launches new 600 Vario

Fendt has launched a new four-model 600 series tractor range aimed at the 140-210hp market. Key features include a new engine and Fendt’s latest VarioDrive transmission to boost performance and reduce fuel use. The four models – 614, 616, 618 and 620 – offer powers

from 149hp to 209hp and feature the recently introduced DynamicPerformance system that can provide an additional 15hp regardless of forward speed. The 600 Vario range is powered by a newly developed 4-cylinder 5 litre AGCO Power CORE50 engine. This enables it to be used for towing heavy

loads, carrying front tanks, or operating heavy mounted implements. The 620 Vario can reach a top speed of up to 50 km/h at 1,250 rpm and offers 950 Nm from 1,200 rpm to 1,600 rpm. With a power-to-weight ratio of 34.4 kg per hp the 600 Vario is also very manoeuvrable, providing a

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turning circle of just 10.2 metres with 540/65 R30 tyres. Fendt’s VarioDrive transmission, pioneered by Fendt since 2015, features a single stage drive train which measures the slip on all four wheels to regulate power output. Minimising wheel slip using Fendt’s dynamic control system

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machinery also provides greater traction whilst reducing soil compaction. A clever cab-operated reversable fan has been borrowed from larger Fendt tractors to help operation in dusty conditions. The 600 also benefits from Fendt’s VarioGrip central tyre inflation system to improve tractive power and fuel consumption by up to 8 percent. The initial 50-hour service has been dropped in favour of a 500-hour service and there are maintenance-free hydraulic tappets built into the engine. The engine has also been prepared for alternative fuels, such as HVO, to lower CO2 emissions in the future. The FendtONE operating system communicates data from the cab to management software in the office. This onboard/offboard technology is facilitated by a multifunction joystick, 10-inch digital dashboard and a 12-inch terminal on the armrest. Fendt’s 3L joystick and another 12-inch terminal are also available as

options. Smart functions such as the Fendt Guide guidance system, automatic section control and variable rate control, are all displayed through easy to access tiles on the terminals. For operators, Fendt’s VisioPlus cab is a comfortable and ergonomic place to be, with an excellent view, which is especially good for loader work. Optional windscreen heating

is available, and 600 operators can also specify a front and rear camera for improved visibility. And, for longer days in the seat, the 600 also features a hot/cold box capable of cooling food to 0°C or heating it to 65°C to enable meals on the go whilst sitting in a climate-controlled space on a massaging, heated seat. The 600 Vario has been designed with loader users in mind

and can be paired with the new generation of Fendt Cargo and Fendt CargoProfi front loaders. The 4.85, 5.85 and 5.90 loaders provide different lifting heights and capacities, with a maximum lifting capacity of up to 34.6 kN for the Fendt Cargo 5.90 at a height of up to 4.5 metres. It also features an optional position-independent weighing function.

Your dealer for the best range of farm equipment in Central Scotland

Please visit our website www.john-kerr.com for up to date used machinery and special deals on new equipment 01506 842280 07836 527 480 (Andrew) email: andrew@john-kerr.com 126

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Pan-Fried Mutton Loin with savoury greens By Wendy Barrie Winter brings with it many positives: log fires and candlelight, frosty walks and festive decorations, and what better time to enjoy flavoursome mutton or hogget? I recommend sourcing a slow-growing pasture fed breed whether it’s for Sunday lunch or a Yuletide feast so check out your local farm shop or high street butcher. With a well-stocked pantry of preserves and Pink Fir Apple tatties to howk, we are very fortunate but it’s not all down to luck. With our food waste composted, our seed potatoes from The Potato House https://www.potatohouse.co.uk/ and heritage apple trees nurtured, my husband Bosse manages to achieve an astonishing harvest from our tiny kitchen garden in Fife. I make apple butter but this would be equally delicious with redcurrant or rowan jelly. There are wonderful suppliers of goodies around Scotland, such as the jellies, sauces and preserves from Huntly Herbs https://huntlyherbs.co.uk/ Ingredients: 1 mutton or hogget loin Blackthorn Scottish Sea Salt & milled black pepper Yorkshire puddings: 75g flour 75mls milk + 75mls water 1 egg Seasoning 75-100g butter

Savoury apple cabbage Half a medium cabbage, shredded 100g salted butter 2 apples quartered & cored Seasoning A handful of sultanas A scrunch of dried marjoram Serving suggestion: 1 dozen Pink Fir Apple tatties – or a variety of your choice Apple butter/redcurrant/rowan jelly 150g chanterelles sautéed in 75g butter

Method: • First prepare the pudding batter by placing the flour in a bowl, season with salt and pepper and gradually whisk in eggs and liquid, ensuring a smooth batter. Set aside to rest. • Place 100g butter in a generous lidded frying pan or wok along with shredded cabbage, scattered with apples, sultanas, salt and pepper and marjoram. Place on lid and cook on a medium heat, melting the butter and slowly steaming the cabbage. Once the pan is warmed up, increase the heat if necessary and stir occasionally to ensure everything is cooking evenly. The cabbage will be cooked tender, the apples soft and the sultanas plump in 15- 20 minutes. • Pre-heat oven to 220℃, place knobs of butter in each dimple of a bun baking sheet and place in oven for 5 minutes. Carefully remove from oven and place a spoonful of pudding batter in each – it will immediately start sizzling. • Return to oven and bake for 15-20 minutes until risen, golden and crisp. • Meanwhile cook potatoes in boiling salted water for 20 minutes or so until cooked. Drain when ready. Place remaining butter in a frying pan with chanterelles and sauté for 5 minutes on a medium high heat until cooked. Set aside in a bowl and keep warm. • Cut the loin into 4 pieces, season well and place fat side down in the hot buttery pan the chanterelles were cooked in. Sizzle on a high heat for 3-5 minutes on each side (your preference) to seal and caramelise. When well roasted, remove from heat, set aside and cover with foil to rest. • Assemble the dish with a bed of savoury cabbage and sliced mutton set on top. Add potatoes and puddings, with a spoonful of jelly/apple butter, and chanterelles. Leftover puddings will reheat another day. Serves 2 Wendy Barrie is a cook, food writer & campaigner for local sustainable food. Founder & Director of award-winning www.scottishfoodguide.scot & www.scottishcheesetrail.com Wendy is Leader in Scotland for Slow Food Ark of Taste & Cooks Alliance, Thistle Regional Ambassador in Scotland & Member of IGCAT Global Experts Network. Her book on regenerative food production, “Meadows: The Swedish Farmer & The Scottish Cook” is available via her website and co-written with her husband, Bosse Dahlgren, heritage farmer & genebank specialist. 128

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

Nicole Baldry Vetoquinol welcomes Nicole Baldry as the Farm Animal Business Manager for the south of England. With 8 years’ experience in farm animal clinical veterinary practice in the south-west of England and New Zealand, Nicole is perfectly placed to support and partner with vets and farmers to enhance animal health, welfare, and productivity. After leaving clinical practice, Nicole worked at MSD Animal Health as a Veterinary Technical Advisor where she enjoyed educating and working with both vets and farmers around dairy herd health and welfare. The ability to have a wider impact on the veterinary and farming industry attracted her to her new role at Vetoquinol. Lynne Somerville Lynne Somerville has been tasked with re-evaluating how the dairy industry can attract and retain workers A new role has been created by the Digital Dairy Chain project to re-evaluate how the dairy industry can attract and retain its workforce. The government-funded project, led by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), seeks to address the skills shortage via its ‘Workforce for the Future’ programme. Lynne Somerville, who is employed by Digital Dairy Chain partner the University of the West of Scotland, will run the programme in her new role as Skills Lead. Lynne’s aims for the five-year role include establishing a dairy skills forum and conducting a full sector review to provide a comprehensive understanding of the current landscape and what training provisions and education policies are needed to support the dairy industry over the next 25 years. Sarah Todd Journalist Sarah Todd is to join the ranks of agrifood and rural sector communications agency Jane Craigie Marketing (JCM), whose clients include BASF, ABP, QMS and the Oxford Farming Conference. Sarah has been an award-winning writer for over 30 years; learning her trade in the local press before rising up the ranks to the role of glossy magazine editor. She turned freelance in 2005 and has carved out a successful career writing about farming and rural life for the national and industry press. “It’s really exciting to be starting a new chapter at this stage in my life,” Sarah explained. “As a journalist I have long admired Jane and her team. They are a very professional outfit who know their subject - the rural sector - which makes all the difference when you are a reporter working on a story.” Chris Bond Leading agricultural sciences company, FMC, announces position change for crop nutrition expert, Chris Bond. Mr Bond, who previously worked as a commercial technical manager for crop nutrition, has been promoted to product manager for the crop nutrition and plant health portfolio. He joined FMC in 2018 after vast experience in the crop nutrition sector and has been FACTS qualified for several years. In his new role, Mr Bond will work alongside the FMC commercial and technical teams in the UK and across Europe, helping with knowledge transfer, product planning and marketing. “The variety of my new role is definitely a highlight, I’ll be able to delve even deeper into the technical aspects of what is happening on-farm, spotting trends and provide the solutions to support this,” he says. 130

THE BOOK SHELF Under the Radiant Hill: Life and the Land in the Remotest Highlands by Robin Noble

The radiant hill referenced in the title of this inspiring new book about life in a remote corner of the Scottish Highlands is in fact, Quinag – a stunning and complicated mountain with three summits and three miles of western cliffs. In the glen of this towering hill, author Robin Noble spent the summers of his youth. At its core, Under the Radiant Hill is a love letter to the region of Assynt, told through both Noble’s personal connection to the land and through its unique and riveting history. Assynt is a sparsely populated region in the northwest highlands. With a mere one thousand people residing there, it’s one of the least populous areas in Europe. Assynt is known for its tremendous natural beauty, particularly the grandiosity of its many mountains. Noble describes the stark, looming landscape of Assynt in eloquent detail, revealing how such a formidable place is not actually unyielding, but everchanging, slowly, over seasons and generations. Noble explains his special relationship with Assynt through the meaningful memories he made throughout his life in this far-flung, striking place. He describes the particular importance of mountain holiday cottages in evoking a feeling of safety and escapism, especially in his teen years when looking forward to time at the cottage gave him hope. He longed for that rare type of freedom from everyday life he felt each time he could get away to Assynt and be transported into a world apart. The way in which the geological, archaeological and historical significance of the place is revealed in the narrative is

inextricable from Noble’s inspiring personal connection to it. For example, Assynt’s geological past is fascinating and complex, known around the world, and Noble introduces it to the reader through anecdotes about his grandmother. She became passionate about the geology of the area, paying special attention to the different features of local rocks, which she would polish and set into beautiful silver jewellery. In his own words, Noble shares that Assynt ‘shaped my world view, and subtly dictated the course of my life.’ Whether you have spent many days hiking through the mountains in Assynt or if you have never before heard of the place, Under the Radiant Hill will likely inspire you to plan a visit. This oft-forgotten, yet visually spectacular corner of the country has so much to offer, and this thought-provoking new book is packed with remarkable stories of the place. Author Robin Noble shares a wealth of knowledge in this book, and it is clear that he has spent the majority of his life devoted to studying, protecting and improving this land.

Under the Radiant Hill: Life and the Land in the Remotest Highlands by Robin Noble, published by Birlinn, September 2023 (£10.99, paperback) www.birlinn.co.uk www.farmingscotlandmagazine.com