A Charolais and Bluefaced Leicester breeder has been revealed as the proud new tenant of the first starter farm in the Highlands.
Sandy Douglas, who works as farm manager and head yardsman at ANM Group’s mart at Quoybrae in Caithness, will take on a 10-year lease at Achmanoine Farm, in Halkirk, on April 1.
Mr Douglas will take on the unit with his wife, Kirsteen, and their eight-year-old son. He plans to use his existing flocks of sheep as the nucleus of the flock for the starter farm.
Making the announcement at NFU Scotland’s AGM, Scottish farm minister Richard Lochhead said: “To thrive, the farming industry needs to continue attracting new blood into the sector.
“This is a great opportunity for Sandy and his family to make their way into the farming business. I wish them all every success for the future.”
Achmanoine is the eighth starter farm unit to be offered up by Forestry Commission Scotland – and the first in the Highlands.
The starter farm scheme, which already has units in Fife, Ayrshire, Stirlingshire, Aberdeenshire and Dumfriesshire, was launched to offer new entrants a pathway into the industry.
The 250-acre unit at Achmanoine comprises nearly 138 acres of improved pasture and 119 acres of rough grazing. There is also scope for up to 67 acres of woodland planting on the rough ground. It comes with a house, range of semi-modern buildings, and a new general purpose shed is being constructed as part of the refurbishment works.
Meanwhile, the hunt is on for tenants for two other starter farm units from October 1.
Woodfold starter farm is a 202-acre unit at Rothiemay, near Huntly. It comes complete with a mix of arable ground, permanent pasture and rough grazing, as well as a farmhouse and farm buildings.
The second starter farm unit is at Gourdie, just outside Dundee. This unit was offered up last year but attracted little interest. Forestry Commission Scotland has since changed the offering and put the horticultural unit back on the market.
Applications for both starter units will open later this month.