Well-known farmer Alistair Graham Milne Forbes, 81

Well-known farmer Alistair Graham Milne Forbes, known as Graham, has died aged 81.

Graham co-founded East Coast Viners and helped grow it into a household name in Scottish agriculture.

Born in 1939 in Aberdeen, he grew up at Slains Park farm at Kinneff.

His was a family of farmers, and his father Alistair and mother Elizabeth set up him and his three brothers to continue the tradition.

He struck out on his own as a young man, working on St Leonards Farm, Nasing, Essex, for several years, before moving back up to Scotland where he bought Omachie Farm in Kingennie with the help of his father.

He met the love of his life, an American, Cindy Bar tow, through an introduction by his cousin Irene Duncan.

When Cindy returned home to America, Graham was so smitten he worked on a cattle boat — the only way he could afford to make the journey at the time — in order to cross the Atlantic Ocean and ask her to marry him.

She said yes and the young couple moved to Nasing , then Scotland, soon after.

They went on to have four children: Mike, Wendy, Carroll and Anna.

Following his return to Scotland, Graham set up East Coast Viners with his brothers.

The family-run feed milling business thrives to this day from its base in the Mearns and reported one of its best years in 2020.

It produces a wide range of compound and blended feeds for livestock, designed to boost growth and performance and supplies thousands of farms.

Graham continued to run the business with Freddie Richardson right up until his death on November 6.

Omachie Fa r m also developed under Graham’s stewardship, progressing to grow carrots for Lockwood’s in Forfar for canning, along with strawberries.

Graham is survived by Cindy, his four children and 12 grandchildren.

FAMILIAR FACE: Graham co-founded East Coast Viners.