Fife farmer appointed chair of Scottish Agronomy co-op
Scottish Agronomy has appointed Jim Mason of Denbrae Farm in Northeast Fife as chair of its 12-strong board. The farmer cooperative, which offers independent agronomy advice based on over 20,000 cutting edge trials plots, has more than 250 members from arable and potato enterprises across Scotland, as well as industry associates. Following three years as vice chair, Mr Mason takes over from Thomas Pate of South Powrie Farm, near Dundee. Growing cereals, potatoes, onions and broccoli across owned, rented and contracted land in Fife, he brings with him 15 years of board experience with East of Scotland Growers (EOSG), four years as chair.
“I joined Scottish Agronomy in 1989 because I wanted to access independent advice that had my best interests at heart,” he says. “The same guiding principles remain core to the cooperative today, and I am looking forward to working with the board, staff and executive team at Scottish Agronomy to take the cooperative into the next era, navigating the challenges and maximising the opportunities.”
The industry is facing a rising wave of change, instigated by Brexit, withdrawal of more agrochemical products and a government agenda that is pushing at once for farmers to produce more food for less and be aligned with its environment agenda, but, he says, this is not all negative.
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