Honouring those in the Scottish farming industry

Scotland’s traditional industry of working the land is still alive and kicking in the 21st century.

The Scottish Rural Awards is looking to reward those who put in the hours in the agricultural sector.

Open to all agricultural businesses, the agriculture category aims to highlight the importance of farming and associated industries in rural Scotland.

This category has the enhancement of Scotland’s rural resources at its core; protecting, managing and developing the land for the benefit of current and future generations.

This category is open to all agribusinesses, including agrichemicals, breeding, crop production (farming and contract farming); distribution, farm machinery, processing and seed supply, as well as marketing and retail sales.

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The judges will ask the following questions:  How are the nominees managing the wild environment? Are the nominee’s methods in agribusiness effective and considerate? How does the nominee develop and enhance Scotland’s rural resources?

Clackmannanshire farmers A & R Muirhead fought off strong competition to win 2018 title.

Based in Menstrie, A & R Muirhead are a farming family that have been growing crops on the cold, wet, soils of the Carse of Stirling since the end of the 1800s. They produce gluten free oats, grass and the only commercially available Landrace crop in the UK, Scots Timothy. Their exemplary knowledge of the grass seed market and attitude to Landrace was a hit with the judges.

Scots Timothy grows exceptionally well in the wet clay soils of the Carse of Stirling and produces the very best quality hay in the UK, a forage grass that all herbivores choose to eat. A & R Muirhead hope to continue making our world a greener place, balancing what grows best in their soils without destroying the natural environment.

2018 agriculture winners AR Muirhead

The category runners-up were CH & AK Walker, an organic beef and sheep farming enterprise based at Barnside Farm near Duns. The 625 acre upland farm is home to 700 wool shedding ewes and 90 Welsh Black cows.

These are run on a low input, grass fed, organic farming system that is successfully integrated with a commitment to rural stewardship.

Highly commended was Charlesfield Farms Ltd, based in the Scottish Borders. Charlesfield work in the renewable energy field, and have been cooperating with others and sharing resources for many years, strengthening their local economy – this forward thinking approach appealed to the judges. 2017 was a big year for highly commended Duns Castle Estate who fought off competition from hundreds of castles across Europe to win a massive contract with HomeAway – the world’s leading holiday-rentals company, which offers exclusive tailor-made bookings to clients.