Lively Seminar Debate To Be Feature Of Scotland's Beef Event

Opportunities for the beef industry, protection of the Scotch beef premium brand, integration of the supply chain and innovation will be among the topics up for debate in what is likely to be a lively and well-informed seminar session at Scotland’s Beef Event 2017 on the farm of Fans at Earlston in the Scottish Borders on Thursday, June 8.

Scotland’s biennial national beef event is being organised by the Scottish Beef Association with Clydesdale Bank as main sponsor, along with five gold sponsors, three silver sponsors and 14 bronze sponsors.

More than 100 trade stands have been confirmed and all the major beef breed societies will be mounting displays of stock.

Host farmers, Douglas and Kelda Stewart, run a mixed arable and beef business extending to 2000 acres with a suckler herd of 400 Aberdeen-Angus cows with all progeny finished on the farm. Features of the event will include a farm tour, a host of practical demonstrations, including a focus on grassland management, cow fertility and innovation, stockjudging competition and seminar.

The event will be opened by Fergus Ewing, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity.

“Scotland’s Beef Event has captured the imagination of the beef industry and is expected to attract a large attendance of beef farmers and industry professionals from throughout Scotland and the north of England keen to catch up with all the latest developments in the industry,” said Sion Williams, farm manager at Bowhill Estate, Selkirk, chair of the local organising committee.

The seminar will be chaired by local beef farmer and former NFU Scotland vice-president, Rob Livesey, Firth Farm, Lilliesleaf, Selkirk, and the speakers will be local farmer’s daughter, Anna Playfair-Hannay, who is agricultural technologist for red meat, dairy and game with M&S; Nuffield Scholar, Robert Fleming, a beef farmer at Castle Sinniness, Glenluce, whose scholarship last year took him to Brazil, Paraguay, Canada, USA and Ireland to study beef genetics; East Lothian farmer, John Hamilton, who runs 350 suckler cows at Aikengall and Thurston Mains, near Dunbar; and Adam Woods, beef and suckler editor of the Irish Farmers Journal, who was previously a beef specialist with the Irish advisory and research organisation, Teagasc.

“The high calibre of the members of the panel is sure to spark off an interesting debate which will be of vital interest to all beef producers as we move from the era of CAP support to a new post-Brexit domestic agricultural policy which is expected to cut direct payments to farmers,” said Mr Williams.

“Achieving a high standard of physical and financial performance in beef herds will be critical to ensure long-term sustainability. Scotland’s Beef Event will help point the way.”

Confirmed sponsors for the event are –

Gold – Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Society, Ancroft Tractors Ltd, Scotbeef Ltd, Harbro Ltd and H&H

Silver – Almins Ltd, JFC Manufacturing (Europe) Ltd and CKD Galbraith

Bronze – John Thorburn and Sons (Consruction) Ltd, Agrimin Ltd, DLF Seeds, J and J Campbell (Wedderlie), Kelso and Lothian Harvesters, Norbrook, Blinkbonny Quarry, SAC Consulting and NFU Scotland.

Additional in kind support is being provided by Scottish Borders Council, Quality Meat Scotland, John Hogarth Ltd, John Watson Seeds, AK Stoddart, Cheviot Trees, Portequip, Algo Ltd and Skeldons Transport. As at previous beef events, the stockjudging competition will be sponsored by United Auctions.

Full details of sponsorship and trade stand opportunities are available from the event organiser, Ms Natalie Cormack, Dairy Cottage, Tower Road, Ayton, Berwickshire, TD14 5QX. Tel: 01890 781006. Mob: 07712 623669. E-mail: Natalie.cormack@btconnect.com