Rachael Hamilton MSP, the Shadow Rural Affairs Secretary, visited various Borders farms to mark #Farm24 day.
Run by the Farmer’s Guardian and sponsored by Morrisons, 24 Hours in Farming, is agriculture's biggest online event showcasing what farmers do up and down the country in a typical working day. It celebrates British farming and offers a valuable insight into where and how food is produced and the huge variety of roles and responsibilities taken on by farmers as food producers and custodians of the countryside.
Mrs Hamilton visited both the farms of Sion Williams of Bowhill Farming Ltd at Carterheugh Farm, and Peter Douglas at Ruletownhead near Hawick.
Bowhill Farming Ltd is a 5,463 hectare mixed hill/upland enterprise forming part of the wider Borders Estate.
The farming business is an active partner in a number of research projects with the Agricultural and Horticulture Development Board and Sainsbury’s; it is also an Agri-EPI Satellite Farm. The farm also operates a 200kW Anaerobic Digester with chicken muck manure utilised by the AD plant as well as livestock manures throughout the arable and grassland enterprises.
As well as this, the farm is an active member of RHET (Royal Highland Education Trust) and hosts a number of visits throughout the year. The farm is an excellent example of Integrated Farm Management (IFM) in action, balancing a thriving business with positive environmental management.
The Borders MSP then met Peter Douglas, Organic NFUS Environmental Chairman and others to discuss organic farming and future environmental schemes.
Following the visit, she urged the Scottish Government to provide more support to new entrants and offer new opportunities for farmers to develop their skills.
She will also write to the DVLA to speed up the process of acquiring a tractor licence following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Rachael Hamilton MSP said:
“It was a great pleasure to meet farmers on #Farm24 day and to learn more about their farm businesses.
“Right across the rural Borders, there is a greater need, now more than ever, to support the next generation of farmers and new entrants.
“We know that back in 2018, the SNP Government halted further funding for new entrants.
“We need to see new talent coming into farming, as well as expanded opportunities for acquiring new skills through courses.
“I want to thank all those involved in the farm visits, including NFU Scotland, as it was a fantastic opportunity to hear more about anaerobic digesters, renewables and organic farming”.
Debbie Playfair, Lothian and Borders Chair said:
“NFU Scotland was proud to support the sixth #Farm24, and we were delighted to see that the Shadow Rural Affairs Secretary chose to celebrate this annual online event by visiting two of our well-known members.
“Lothian and Borders Regional Vice Chair Sion Williams and Peter Douglas, who chairs our Environment and Land Use Committee both offered a valuable insight into sustainable farming, renewable energy and quality food production in the Borders and the contribution that farming makes to the local economy, the community, and the environment.
"Sion and Peter both have a fantastic story to tell on the contribution that their farms make to society and both are excellent at sharing that story with politicians, stakeholders, fellow farmers and consumers.”