Rural land agent Galbraith is sponsoring the Speakers’ Corner at next week’s Scotland’s Beef Event and has an array of experts lined up as the beef sector embraces sustainable production.
The event will take place at Dalswinton Estate in Dumfriesshire on Tuesday June 6 and will feature a number of breed societies and organisations who will feature in the Speakers’ Corner throughout the day.
These include the Charolais, Aberdeen Angus, Beef Shorthorn, Stabiliser and Galloway societies, as well as event exhibitors Ruumi, Vytelle, United Auctions, Jamie Blackett, Sam Parsons and Rhidian Jones.
Rose Nash, a rural surveyor with Galbraith in Dumfries and Galloway said: “Farmers are facing a period of unprecedented change as the agricultural sector transitions away from previous land-based subsidies to new schemes expected to focus on biodiversity, habitat creation and nature-friendly farming.
“In Scotland, we lead the way in sustainable meat production, using marginal land unsuitable for many crops to produce the highest quality beef. It’s encouraging that the carbon footprint of home-grown, naturally grazed beef is starting to be properly understood, along with the benefits of selective grazing and natural soil fertilization. We hope the Scottish government will set out measures to support sustainable Scottish beef and its benefits for our environment.”
Dalswinton Estate has a total of 555 cows featuring Blue Grey Shorthorn, Luing and Aberdeen-Angus genetics, and has areas of amenity woodland and a wind farm.
During the 2022-2023 season, the estate’s calf rearing percentage was 92%.
Peter Landale, the owner of Dalswinton Estate said: “This is a critical time for the beef sector. In 2028 the subsidy regime will be changing. The cost of goods and materials is volatile. There is the new order of carbon mitigation and reducing biodiversity loss playing out. As a farmer and particularly a beef farmer it is very difficult to navigate a course for the beef enterprise.”