MONITOR FARM APPOINTED
Pitroddie Farm, Perthshire, has been selected by SAC as the second of its Monitor
Farms in Scotland. The farm is owned by Messrs M.A.Steele & Co and managed by
Douglas Allan. Douglas has been manager at Pitroddie for 20 years, and has one full-
time stockman.
Monitor Farms are basically normal commercial farms with enterprises which are
representative of the local area and where the farmer is prepared to allow other
farmers from the area access to the farm. Selection of the right farm is crucial as the
farmer must be open minded and prepared to share information about his farm with
other farmers in the Monitor Farm community group. Group members are then able to
assess the success of changes made on the monitor farm and are encouraged to
make similar improvements on their own farms. This technique helps progress the
widespread adoption of new ideas which are seen to be tried, tested, and successful.
The Pitroddie Farm business consists of 1800 acres (729 ha) of which just over 1600
acres are owned. Rising from the Carse of Gowrie up to 800ft (250m), the land is split
between Less Favoured Areas (LFA) and non-LFA. Arable crops including winter
wheat, spring and winter barley, spring oats and winter oilseed rape are grown on the
better ground. The farm runs a suckler herd of 100 cows and a flock of 820 Texel-
cross ewes.
Mary Munro of SAC's Farm Business Services Group who will act as facilitator to the
Perth group. She said “We are delighted to have Pitroddie as the Monitor Farm. The
wide variety of enterprises and different types of ground should ensure that the project
will have relevance for many Perthshire farmers. The project has generated a lot of
interest already. We have the makings of an excellent community group, and hope to
organise the first farm visit in February."
Notes:
Monitor Farm Project
SAC has been contracted by SEERAD to set up Scotland’s first two Monitor Farms; in
the Borders and Perthshire. The first of SAC's Monitor Farms was selected last
October and is located in the Borders.
Monitor farm projects have had a huge influence in the adoption of new ideas and
techniques to improve farm profitability in New Zealand and have proved popular in
Wales. If similar benefits can be identified through this research project on our first two
Scottish farms, it is likely that the project will be rolled out on a larger scale across the
country.
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