Matthew and Andrew pick up top awards
Two east Perthshire farmers are celebrating after picking up top awards at the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh.
Both Matthew McIntyre and Andrew Houstoun were recognised for their innovative techniques at the M&S Farming for the Future Awards, with celebrates efforts to boost sustainability and innovation in the industry.
Matthew, who farms 120 acres of fruit in Wester Essendy in Blairgowrie, was presented with the Oustanding Producer Award. Mr McIntyre has been able to extend the cherry season into October by using different varieties of the fruit, becoming the latest any Scottish producer is able to supply cherries.
He said: “We have been planting cherries since 2013 and we are able to keep supplying beyond a lot of other growers across the world last year we were even later than Canada, and we are getting new Canadian varieties in to keep extending the season.
“It’s been a lot of hard work, but we are delighted to receive the award.”
Matthew explained some of the techniques they are using, including polytunnels and controlled atmosphere storage.
He continued: “We are going to start using an optical grading machine to process the cherries which will help with labour costs.
“We are worried about Brexit and we have already seen a reduction in the availability of labour so this will be Brexit-proofing.”
Also at the show, Andrew (26) won the Young Producer award. Andrew works in partnership with his parents David and Morag at Glenkilrie Farm in Blacklunans with 160 suckler cows and more than 1000 breeding ewes.
He said said: “We supply to Scotbeef in Bridge of Allan who then supply M&S.
“They had an event for young producers to see the process and at the supermarket phase I raised issues with the store manager on sourcing meat and asked her some challenging questions. So because of my big mouth I was nominated not long after that!
“I have been travelling and to college and that’s the best thing I have done. I went over to see beef production in Canada and got some good ideas. Canada is the pinnacle of beef production and on such poor quality land - we need to apply their techniques over here.
“I am back on the family farm now and getting stuck into some new ideas.
“The next few years will be uncertain for the farming industry, but if we put our heads together and make some changes, the next generation of farmers will have a good future.”
There were double celebrations for Andrew, as he got engaged in the same week as winning the award.
He said: “It was quite a week - I got engaged on the Monday night. My fiancee has been really supportive of me and taken an interest to push me on.”
Steven McLean, the head of agriculture and fisheries at M&S added: “Both Andrew and Matthew are very worthy winners who have both demonstrated innovative thinking, commercial success and social responsibility in the way that they manage and execute their businesses.”