The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
North-east farmers to take part in pioneering pilot
North-east farmers aim to grow organic animal feed
Five north-east farmers are to grow organic oilseed rape as part of a pilot project to produce locally-sourced organic animal feed with the aim of replacing imported materials.
If successful, the five pioneers are looking to achieve organic yields similar to the average for conventional oilseeds, but with a selling price which is two to three times that of conventional crops.
“We’re currently sourcing organic feed materials from as far away as China to satisfy local market demands,” said David McClelland, technical director of Scottish feed manufacturer Norvite, who are working with the pilot group.
“If we can get local supplies it will represent a huge opportunity for us and the farmers involved.”
Supported by the Soil Association Scotland-led Rural Innovation Support Service (RISS), the farmers and specialist advisers recently visited Sweden to explore how farmers there are successfully growing 10,000 hectares of organic oilseed rape out of a national oilseed crop of 110,000 ha.
“It was impressive to see the Swedish crop, especially as it’s being grown on the same latitude as Scotland with a very similar climate,” said Murray Cooper, who already has 300 acres of organic crops in production at Mains of Thornton, near Inverurie, and is set to add organic oilseed rape into the mix.
“Before I went to Sweden I was very sceptical if the crop could be grown successfully and cleanly on its own under our conditions, but after seeing what farmers are doing there I have no doubt that it is possible.
“We just have to manage weeds properly and adhere to specific crop timings.”
Having just planted a plot of spring organic oilseed rape on its own, Mr Cooper is planning to follow on with an autumn organic sowing.
This will probably combine oilseed rape with clover or beans to provide the crop with some nitrogen over the growing season.
Asked how big he thought the future Scottish production of the crop might become, given Sweden’s 10% output example, Mr Cooper said it would all depend how the pilot goes.
“It will be difficult to get others to adopt it until we can show we can control volunteers and that it’s not going to take two to three years to get a significant area in the ground.
“While the crop is notoriously difficult to grow, however, producing it ourselves here in Scotland would give us control of our own feed resources, reduce our reliance on imported soya and reduce our fuel footprint.”