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North and north-east farmers among first to take part in Monitor Farm Scotland Programme

Duncan and Claire Morrison farm mainly sucklers at Meikle Maldron, near Torphins, in Aberdeenshire.
Duncan and Claire Morrison farm mainly sucklers at Meikle Maldron, near Torphins, in Aberdeenshire.

Farmers in the north and north-east of Scotland will be among the first to take part in the new Quality Meat Scotland and Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board monitor farm programme for 2022-2026.

Three on-farm meetings will take place on December 5, 6 and 7 and will include visits to and discussions about key parts of each farm, as well as an introduction to the businesses and the new monitor farm programme.

Each of the nine farms across Scotland is embarking on a journey of transformative change.

The three meetings are:

Strathspey monitor farm, December 5

Auchernack is an 800-acre farm near Grantown on Spey. It is run by Malcolm Smith, who farms alongside his son Calum. They have 140 suckler cows and 120 store cattle. The focus is on store calf production using predominantly Limousin sires. For ease of management, cattle are overwintered indoors. Calving is split with a third of the herd calving in autumn/winter and the remainder in spring.

Calum and Malcolm Smith, farm Auchernack, an 800-acre farm near Grantown on Spey.

Banff and Buchan Monitor Farm, December 6

Sauchentree Farm, at New Aberdour, is run by Bruce Irvine in partnership with his father and mother. Bruce farms 650 acres with cereals, sheep and cattle and believes the three enterprises are as important as each other, with livestock providing fertility for the arable side. Bruce markets the family’s organic lamb and beef through Scotbeef.

Bruce and Vicky Irrvine from Sauchentree Farm, at New Aberdour.

Deeside Monitor Farm, December 7

Meikle Maldron, near Torphins, is run by Duncan and Claire Morrison who moved to the farm in 2016. They farm 558 acres with 220 sucklers, comprising 120 commercial and pedigree Aberdeen-Angus cows and a leased herd of 100 Stabiliser cows. Most Stabiliser bull calves are finished, breeding heifers are sold at 12-14 months, the rest sold as stores. They grow 37 acres of arable silage and 20 acres of kale.

Monitor Farm Scotland Programme aims to help develop solutions to challenges

The aim of the Monitor Farm Scotland Programme is to help farms reach full economic, social, and environmental sustainability by optimising production.

Over the next four years, both other farmers and experts will be brought together to help the three families assess farm performance, explore opportunities, and develop solutions to the challenges they face.

“We are delighted to welcome on board these three north and north-east farms,” says Beth Alexander, monitor farm programme manager.

“During its lifetime, the monitor farm initiative has pioneered new ways of working, experimented with fresh ideas and, most importantly, helped to improve the productivity and profitability of the businesses it has worked with. The journeys these farms go on will be as unique the farms themselves.

“The benefits of the programme extend well beyond the gates of the individual monitor farms,” says Beth.

“The launch meetings are open to the whole farming community, who are very much welcome to come along and join the discussions.

“We want the learnings and the example set by monitor farms to benefit all farmers across the whole of Scotland.

This cycle, the monitor farm programme is supported by an in-house delivery team with each farm sitting under one of three regional advisers; the north adviser is Peter Beattie.

Getting involved

All farmers at the meetings will have the opportunity to get involved; each farm will be seeking 10-12 farmers and businesses to be part of a management board, as well as the wider farming community providing support and input.

Visitors to the three farms on December 5, 6 and 7 will get the chance to discuss the business and its way forward, as well as finding out much more about the four-year programme and how they can be part of it. Lunch will be provided, so booking is essential for catering numbers.

To book the meetings, and for further information visit www.monitorfarms.co.uk, contact Peter on 07769 366614 or email monitorfarm@qmscotland.co.uk

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