Meeting to set up a Shetland monitor farm

LOCAL farmers are invited to a meeting in the Shetland Hotel on Wednesday (21 September) to find out more about the process of setting up a “monitor farm” programme in the isles.

Monitor farms have been around since 2003 and are part of a national programme, supported with European money, that aims to help improve the profitability and productivity of established farms.

The Shetland monitor farm will be one of nine such farms to be established in the coming months as part of a new three-year programme.

It will be the first time a monitor farm has been established in Shetland and SAC Consulting Lerwick has been appointed to oversee the project.

Graham Fraser of SAC said it was hoped that the local monitor farm would help build resilient businesses.

“So far a couple of Shetland farmers have expressed an interest in becoming the Shetland monitor farm but there is still time to apply if anyone else is interested,” he said.

Advertisement3 of 10

“The aim of this new programme is to establish farms, typical of their area, as monitor farms to help improve the profitability, productivity and sustainability of producers through practical demonstrations, the sharing of best practice and the discussion of up-to-date issues.”

Fraser urged any farmer with an interest in the issue to attend Wednesday’s meeting and hear first hand from Steven Sandison, who until recently was Orkney’s monitor farmer.

Sandison said: “I am very glad to have gone through the monitor farm experience and I have learnt that you can never stop improving.”

Fraser will also be looking for famers and crofters who are interested in joining the groups associated with the monitor farm, such as the business group and the community group.

The meeting kicks off at 7pm. Anyone interested in attended is asked to book a place by phoning SAC Lerwick 01595 693520.

The new monitor farm programme will be run jointly by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) and AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds and is funded by £1.25 million secured from the Scottish Government and European Union’s knowledge transfer and innovation fund.