This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Funding to promote Monitor Farms
22/06/2006
Quality Meat Scotland announced today that it is to use £150,000 of funding to promote Monitor Farms. Monitor Farms are based on one working farm, which is representative of a local area, opening up their business to scrutiny by other farmers in order to improve business efficiency.
Rural Development Minister Ross Finnie said:
"These additional funds will build on the enthusiasm and commitment of those already participating in the monitor farms initiative. I look forward to continued success and development across other sectors of the industry.
"Each project encourages farmers to discuss ideas on how performance could be improved. Through sharing detailed records on breeding rates, feed regimes and prices, informed decisions can be made to improve performance and profit."
Monitor farms developed from the 2001 Agriculture Strategy and the further development of the initiative to increase the number of farms across Scotland and widen the scope of their activity is included as an action point in A Forward Strategy for Scottish Agriculture: Next Steps published in March this year.
Monitor Farms (MF) were created in New Zealand as a means of sharing best practice amongst groups of farmers, learning from each other. In contrast to demonstration farms, the focus is on the financial performance of a single business, as opposed to technical efficiency. A Community Group (CG) is formed to concentrate on a single farms and the CG discusses all major management decisions before they are taken, guided by the farmers stated objectives.
First Scottish monitor farm was set up in the Borders in October 2003. The network has steadily expanded since then and currently there are eight farms participating in the initiative. It is anticipated that this may be expanded further to incorporate different types of farming and allow participation by more farmers. QMS intend to start two further Monitor Farms in this financial year taking their financial commitment up to #100,000 per annum.
Funding and support for the Monitor Farm initiative is provided primarily by the Executive, QMS and SAC. Other sponsors include the Enterprise network, Milk Development Council and Highland Council. 5.The projects are helped by specialist advisors who contribute to discussions and help to analyse results. Meetings of farmers taking part in the initiative are held regularly with around 20-30 farmers participating in each project.
Each project runs for three years and the aim is to replace each farm with a new one once the three year period comes to an end.
Participating farms are in Borders, Perthshire, Wigtownshire, North Argyll, Banff and Buchan, Ayrshire, Highland and Bute.