The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Marks & Spencer award winners
Farmers from Blairgowrie and Fife were the headline winners of this year’s prestigious Marks & Spencer Farming for the Future awards which were presented at the Royal Highland Show.
The outstanding producer award went to Matthew McIntyre, along with his father Euan, who grow 120 acres of fruit, including 30 acres of cherries, at the family farm at Blairgowrie.
The young producer of the year was named as Andrew Houstoun, 26, who farms in partnership with his father and mother, David and Morag, at Glenkilrie Farm at Blacklunans, Blairgowrie.
The farm runs 160 suckler cows and 1,100 breeding ewes and all of the lambs are procured for M&S through Scotbeef Ltd.
Andrew was commended for showing commitment to farming in balance with the local environment and implementing new ideas to improve the long-term sustainability of the farm.
The Prince’s Countryside Fund award was presented to beef and lamb producer John Bell, the second generation of his family to farm at Fairfield Farm in Fife.
The judges said they were impressed by the forward-thinking approach of the Bell family together with their commitment to the future of farming, from investment and welfare, to engagement with the community and retailers and enterprising sustainable practices.
The agronomy manager for East of Scotland Growers (ESG) Ltd in Cupar, Andrew Orr, won an innovation producer award.
He was recognised for his implementation of new technology and drive to discover ways to help improve soil health.
An innovation producer award went to Scottish Sea Farms, which runs salmon farms across the west coast of Scotland, as well as Orkney and Shetland, and is the exclusive supplier of Lochmuir Salmon to M&S.
The company’s head of agriculture, Steve McLean, described the farmers as “worthy winners who have all demonstrated innovative thinking, commercial success and social responsibility in the way that they manage and execute their businesses”.