Nominations are invited for this year’s Royal Northern Agricultural Society’s (RNAS) Good Farming Practice awards.
The awards were set up in 2005, with entries assessed against a range of criteria including stock, crops, equipment, environmental management, expertise and general impression.
This year’s winners will be decided following on-farm visits to nominated businesses by independent judge and RNAS past president Dave Green, who is managing director of Duncan Farms.
Last year’s recipient was CJ Grant & Partners, Kindrought, Strichen, whose hard work and innovative practices caught the eye of judge, Pete Watson from Durris during his on-farm visit.
Dave Green appointed judge for 2024
The runner-up winners in last year’s awards were Elaine Duguid of Burnside Farming/A Wilson and Sons, Gellyhill Farm, Banff, and DA Officer (A Firm), Ardoch of Gallery, Logie Pert, Montrose (see feature next week).
Third generation Banffshire farmer Elaine Duguid stepped away from a career as a PE teacher in 2014 and took on the cattle and arable enterprise following the death of a family member.
Elaine has not only doubled livestock numbers, but also bought an additional 220 acres of neighbouring land and made significant investment in the arable side of the business – and she’s not done yet.
Spread across three farms, Elaine works some 1,800 acres of predominantly malting spring barley which is grown alongside wheat oilseed rape and winter barley.
All farm operations are carried out in-house by Elaine and two staff, with a firm focus on soil management which includes regular soil sampling, vari-rate lime application and FYM.
Expanding arable and cattle enterprise
The business has always combined arable with livestock and Elaine has worked hard to double cattle numbers to 600 since she took over.
They are bought in as stores/weaned calves from Dingwall & Highland Marts at regular intervals throughout the year to keep numbers flowing, before being finished and sold to Scotbeef.
Significant investment includes a fixed position cattle handling system right in the centre of the main farm location, as well as a 5,000-tonne grain store and 60 tonne/hour graintech dryer which will be put to work for the first time this harvest.
Elaine said: “When I look back, suddenly, I went from helping to running the thing. I really was thrown in at the deep end and, although it was what I always wanted to do, it was an incredibly steep learning curve.
New grain store and dryer to have debut harvest this year
“I would say that it’s taken until the last two or three years for me to properly get to grips with it all and I’m still learning all the time. I am indebted to a small but hugely supportive network of people who help me a lot and I continue to be grateful to them – they know who they are.
“Although being a woman in charge of a farm might still be unusual, it is more common than it was when I took over a decade ago even although I have never felt held back in any way or experienced criticism.
“Nevertheless, there has been a substantial change in the last five years and there are a lot more women doing all sort of jobs in and around agriculture – and fewer people automatically ask for Mr Wilson when they phone nowadays.”
To find out more, or to make a nomination to the RNAS 2023 Good Farming Practice Awards, email secretary@rnas.info or call 07593 227847.
