The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
International potato hub possibility being looked at by institute
The James Hutton Institute (JHI) is in talks with stakeholders about the possibility of establishing an international potato hub.
JHI chief executive Professor Colin Campbell told a meeting of the Scottish Society for Crop Research (SSCR) potato group that there was a need for the sector to have a centre similar to the International Barley Hub, which won £35 million of funding through the Tay Cities Deal.
Responding to a question at the SSCR meeting about whether JHI would “take up the slack” for research if potato producers vote against the continuation of AHDB Potatoes in the current ballot, Prof Campbell declined to comment on the vote, but said the potato sector needed more innovative research.
“The way we operate with the (SSCR) society is about growers determining the direction of research,” he said.
“There’s also a lot of new innovation centres coming along which are operating on the same principle where the agricultural research programme is geared around what the industry actually needs and wants and seizes opportunities or problems.
“The future is there for potatoes and we need a more innovative approach.”
Later Prof Campbell said JHI was continuing to work with SRUC and Sasa in the context of Scottishpotatoes.org, which brings together the complementary skills of the three institutions.
I’ve heard it said there aren’t any youngsters in farming. The average age of a UK farmer is now 59, so I would almost agree with that statement. Almost.
In the agricultural census, the number of farmers aged under 35 has remained at 3% since 2003, so we are not in decline, at least, and when I see the 10-strong pack of gatherers, all under 30, that walk the hills of Tomintoul, the influx of passionate scholars at the Oxford Farming Conference or the thriving meetings that our local young farmers’ club attracts, I don’t agree there are no youngsters in agriculture.
We’re here – and we are keen. The issue is not the lack of youngsters, but the lack of opportunities, forcing our enthusiastic workforce to find employment elsewhere.
Over the years, the loss of hefted hill flocks to more lucrative forestry plantations has lost hill and farmland, and in lower climates we have seen the disappearance of many of the smaller, traditional family farms which have amalgamated into huge enterprises.
Sadly, a traditional farm of even 100 acres struggles to afford a comfortable living for a young family, forcing a partner to find income from another stream. Coupled with land prices having reached an all-time high, land ownership is an unrealistic ambition for many.
Thankfully, however, there are many other routes into agriculture and alternatives to land ownership, such as contract and share farming or employment, which don’t seem to count in the farmer age bracket in the
agricultural census. Many younger farmers begin their careers on seasonal grass lets and rented grazing, which helps us grow our businesses gradually and build good relationships and reputations along the way, opening doors for longerterm tenancies or other opportunities.
Employment in the agricultural sector shouldn’t be forgotten about either – with professions from shepherds
to stock-people and farm managers to tractor drivers, there are a variety of ways to be actively farming at a grass roots level.
The majority of contractors are aged under 40 – from shearers and sheep scanners to foot trimmers and artificial insemination technicians.
Our levy bodies and organisations are now realising the potential that enthusiastic youth can bring to the table. Both the National Sheep Association
and NFU Scotland have next generation groups, Ringlink has teamed up with SRUC to offer a modern apprenticeship scheme and Quality Meat Scotland has launched its new young producers discussion group.
Agriculture is also high on the agenda for many school curriculums; Speyside High School offer its national 4/5 students an apprenticeship subject, where they visit a farm every Wednesday to gain
practical experience. Dalriada High School in Northern Ireland teaches agriculture at GCSE level, then students specialise into a sector they wish to study to A level.
Then there’s the hard work and huge range of resources available through the Royal Northern Countryside Initiative (RNCI) and the Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET), alongside classroom initiatives like the AHDB’S ‘Grow your
own potatoes’ kits. So the next time you’re at a mart, an agricultural show (when restrictions lift) or have a contractor in – look to see just how many of us youngsters are actually there; full of enthusiasm, passion and sheer determination. It might just surprise you.
Japan bought UK beef worth £5.4 million in 2020 in the first full year of the export market reopening after two decades.
Despite the challenging year for exports, the latest figures from HMRC show 1,581 tonnes of beef and offal were shipped to Japan in 2020, rising from 734 tonnes in 2019.
Further opportunities are on the cards because from this month UK sausages will also be eligible for export to Japan, although the access is subject to labelling requirements and the term “raw sausages” must be visible on the front or back labels to show it is necessary to cook the product.
According to AHDB Asia Pacific leader, Jonathan Eckley, the latest figures and new access for sausages, highlights the
opportunities that Japan presents.
He said: “Despite the challenges 2020 presented to UK exporters, it is encouraging to see significant growth in our beef exports to Japan.
“These impressive figures were from a standing start position
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having only gained access to the new market in 2019.
“In 2020, Japan was one of four strategic international markets where AHDB appointed a specialist PR agency to support our work there. This has been critically important in maintaining momentum.”
A aregroup of six farmers who are growing peas, beans and lentils exploring ways of taking their crops to market with the help of a Soil Association Scotland (SAS) project which aims to benefit growers, consumers and the environment.
The producers, SAS, and researchers from the James Hutton Institute (JHI) are working alongside processors and buyers to establish a route to market for locally produced pulses.
Only 1% of Scottish arable cropped land accommodates pulses, but JHI researcher Dr Pete Iannetta maintains this could be 15 times higher.
He said: “The irony is our feed and food systems are legume-dependent, yet we import most of our highprotein legume grains and almost all are for animal and aquaculture feed.
“That means we forfeit the potential soil benefits from cultivation and human health benefits from direct consumption.
“By using pulses in cropping rotations, we can improve soil and increase the range of crops grown, plus reduce disease and pest incidence, lowering pesticide dependency.
“If you want to protect environmental, human health and have truly sustainable economics, then legumes are the vehicle.
“But the market pull is more important than the production push.
“We don’t have any serious milling facilities or hulling facilities in Scotland – so it’s not just that we need to grow pulses, it’s that we need the capacity along the value chain to process as well and we don’t currently have that in Scotland.”
Elizabeth Massie, who farms 300 acres at Pressmennan, near Dunbar, in East Lothian, says she plans to put more pulses in her rotations after farming cereals in a conventional way for more than 50 years.
“That’s our main income stream but since we’re pouring a lot of money into fertiliser and other inputs, I felt we needed to broaden our rotation a bit more,” she explained.
“Pulses are a key part of not using as many inputs, so should reduce costs.”
Farming and land use manager at Soil Association Scotland, Ana Allamand, said: “This is an industry that could be developed with benefits for everyone.
“The group now plans to set up a peer-to-peer network to explore varieties and routes to market.”
The project is supported by the Rural Innovation Support Service.
N cameew legislation that affects anyone who has a secure farming tenancy into force at the end of February.
The new arrangements will enable tenants to realise the value in a secure 1991 Act tenancy when they relinquish or assign it, providing a new opportunity for any tenant wishing to retire or quit the holding.
In instances where a landlord does not wish to buy back the relinquished tenancy, the tenant can assign it for value to a new or progressing farmer. The legislation is therefore dual purpose in that it may provide opportunities for incoming tenants as well as those looking to leave the industry.
The new provisions allow a tenant to offer to sell a tenancy to their landlord at a price that is determined by means of a formula set out in the legislation.
The relinquishing tenant will receive half the difference between the vacant possession value of the holding and the value with a tenant in place, plus compensation for any eligible tenant’s improvements, minus any compensation due to the landlord for dilapidations.
However, if the landlord chooses not to buy the tenancy, the tenant can assign the tenancy for value to someone who qualifies as a new entrant to farming or as someone progressing within the sector.
The price of the assigned tenancy will be a matter for negotiation and the incoming tenant will take on the tenancy on the existing terms and at the same rent.
The tenant farming commissioner has a specific role in the statutory process
in that I have to appoint a valuer to calculate the amount payable by the landlord to the tenant for the relinquishment of the tenancy. The valuer must be independent of both the landlord and tenant and be suitably experienced and qualified to carry out the valuations required to reach the final figure.
Tenants and landlords will be invited to nominate their preferred valuer and, subject to checks for independence and suitable knowledge and experience, the norm will be for me to appoint that valuer.
However, if the tenant does not name a preferred valuer on their notice of intention to relinquish, I shall appoint a valuer from a panel of experienced valuers that I have recently established.
These valuers have been
assessed for their understanding of how the valuations are to be conducted along with their knowledge and experience of carrying out similar valuations.
It is in the tenant’s interests to provide as much information as possible that is relevant to the valuation process and to assemble this before submitting a notice of intention to relinquish.
This includes appropriate maps and plans, agreed tenant’s improvements, a copy of the lease and information on rent.
The valuer only has eight weeks to carry out the valuation once appointed so information needs to be provided at the outset and not during the valuation period. I shall be declining notices of intention to relinquish that do not
contain the required information and I may also request further information that would enable the valuer to conduct the valuation.
There are procedures in place that enable the relinquishment process to proceed or to be halted. A landlord can issue a notice of acceptance or a tenant can withdraw the notice of intention to relinquish, but both are subject to specified time periods.
If the landlord is clear from the start that there is no intention to buy the tenancy, early issue of a notice of declinature will avoid the need for a valuation to take place and will enable the tenant to move straight to the assignation possibility.
Before starting these procedures it’s essential that a tenant considers
whether, in their particular circumstances, the relinquishment and assignation process is likely to deliver an outcome that is better than their rights to give up the tenancy or to assign it for value to one of a potentially wide range of family members.
Once a notice to relinquish has been submitted it generates a sequence of time-limited procedures – a valuation process (paid for by the tenant), the likelihood of bills for professional advice and possibly a tax liability.
In circumstances where the landlord wishes to buy back the tenancy, if things progress smoothly, and all timescales in the legislation are adhered to, the tenancy will normally come to an end within a year of the process being initiated.
I recommend a tenant
considering relinquishment and assignation begins with an informal discussion with their landlord to establish whether the landlord is likely to want to buy back the tenancy or is content for the tenant to try to assign it for value.
An understanding of the preferred outcome for both landlord and tenant can speed up formalities and limit the costs involved.
Further information on the procedures can be found in my new Guide to the Relinquishment and Assignation of 1991 Act Tenancies. You can find the guide and more information about the panel of valuers on our website landcommission. gov.scot/tenant-farming
■ Bob Mcintosh is the Tenant Farming Commissioner.