SEBG News Archive

Farm Business development seminars get underway in New Year

6rd December 2005

A series of seminars promoting farm business development is to start in January. The events are being staged by the Scottish Estates Business Group in association with the Scottish Executive.

The first seminar will be held at The Lodge, Carfraemill, in the Borders, on Thursday, 19th January and NFUS President, John Kinnaird, will be the keynote speaker. Further events are planned for Moray and Ayr.

Other speakers at Carfraemill will include Robin Waddell, SEERAD area project manager for the Borders, Jonnie Hall, Head of Rural Policy for the Scottish Rural Property and Business Association and three farmers who have developed and expanded their businesses.

They are:

Chris Walton, from Foulden, in the Borders, who received an Farm Business Development Scheme (FBDS) grant to create an equine cross country course and also sells meat from free range pigs at farmers markets.
Robin Shedden, who farmed arable and dairy (including a retail milk round) along with his brother at Cluny Mains and Bowhouse, and who now runs a centre featuring clay shooting, golf course, driving range, restaurant and business facilities. He also received an FBDS award to convert a shed into a riding arena. To allow the brothers to concentrate on the expanding diversified business, the farms are now managed on a contract farming basis.
Giles Henry, from Ettrick, Selkirk, who has expanded into organic egg production with SEERAD support.
Rural Development Minister Ross Finnie said: “We are determined to establish a robust and diverse base for Scotland’s rural economy. Those taking part in these seminars demonstrate the opportunities for successful diversification and the importance of grant programmes like the Farm Business Development Scheme in supporting wider rural development. We intend to build on this work in the next Scottish Rural Development Programme.”

SEBG Deputy Chairman Roddy Jackson said: “We are pleased to be staging these seminars with the Scottish Executive’s Environment and Rural Affairs Department and believe they will be useful to farmers looking to develop their businesses.

“Progressive estates support efforts by farmers to look for and take advantage of market opportunity and business development. We firmly believe the FBDS is constructive and is an important element in the effort to secure a vibrant agricultural sector in Scotland.”

John Kinnaird added: “FBDS, and the scheme that will succeed it, is important as we look to meeting the challenges that lie ahead. We should also remember that the scheme can be used off-farm as well as on farm and is designed to assist farming families who are looking to the future.”

Notes to editors:

The seminar at The Lodge, Carfraemill, will be held on Thursday, 19 January 2006 at 7pm.

SEBG represents a group of progressive land-based estates with significant agricultural and rural business interests. It aims to promote a modern business approach in the management of Scotland's land resource in ways which deliver social, economic and environmental benefits. The Group seeks to secure a sustainable and prosperous future for rural areas and its members work hard across Scotland to stimulate enterprise and economic development.

For further information contact:
Ramsay Smith at Media House on 0141 226 3700/07788414856 or Polly McPherson at SEBG on 07810891831

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