By Ewan Pate, farming editor

PERTHSHIRE FARMER Allan Neill has recently retired after 12 years as a director of the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society.

Reflecting on his stint as one of the seven directors representing the Perth area on the 59-strong board of RHASS, he is in no doubt about the importance of the organisation, saying, “It has much more to offer than just running the annual show.

“Looking back at some of the old annual journals, the society promoted new methods of crop and animal husbandry and took an interest in everything to do with rural life.

“I am sure it will carry on taking that wider role.

“The society is in good hands and is on an excellent footing.

“Chief executive Ray Jones is hungry for success and is driving the business forward very effectively.

“There is an amazing flow of new members willing to join.”

Mr Neill also has nothing but praise for the “buy local, eat local” initiative, which was organised by the Perth area presidential team for the 2006 show.

He said, “There are some great food-producing companies in Tayside and they should be supported.

“When we last tried to get support from local councils for a similar initiative eight years ago we had no success.

“I am very pleased that they have changed their view.”

Mr Neill also has views on the more controversial issues facing the RHASS.

He was not ultimately in support of the recent move to reduce the size of the board from 59 to around 11 and is, on balance, satisfied that the status quo will remain.

“Corporate governance is a big issue and it maybe took us too long to get a grasp of it,” he said.

“We went through all the channels but eventually we looked at the Scottish Rugby Union and the Royal Agricultural Society of England and realised the financial troubles that could result from the membership not being in charge.

“In short, if the machine isn’t broken why mend it?”

The other major consideration is the showground, with extreme pressure from the British Airports Authority which wants to take over the Ingliston venue.

“I am sure the problem can be solved,” said Mr Neill.

“Moving altogether would be a mammoth task but there is room for a compromise.

“Moving the car parking to the south side of the dual carriageway and linking up with footbridges or underpasses would free up a big acreage next to the airport and leave the main showground intact.”

Car parking at the Highland Show is something Mr Neill knows about.

It has been his responsibility as a director to make sure the traffic flows smoothly and he especially remembers the mud-bath of five years ago which saw cars being pulled out of the mire by tractors on the first night of the show.

Back home at Thorngreen, Blairgowrie, there is little chance of Allan Neill wearying after his retiral from RHASS.

He is part of a family farming business which operates across 1200 acres in Strathmore, much of it around Coupar Angus.

With wife Ella, brother Ian, son Douglas and daughter-in-law Karen all taking a hands-on role, they are operating on a large scale, particularly in potatoes and soft fruit.

Mr Neill’s other son Graeme farms with his father-in-law John Caldwell, at Grange of Conon, Arbroath.

“We are always busy but it would not be possible without our dedicated staff,” said Mr Neill.

“Four of the men here have 100 years of service between them.”

The main task is growing 350 acres of potatoes, three quarters ware and the balance in seed crops. With the last of the 2005 ware crop having just left the cold store and irrigation in full swing all summer, there is no shortage of work.

There are also 600 acres of cereals, 40 acres of carrots, 60 acres of broccoli and some grass.

Out of all these varied enterprises Mr Neill is probably most closely associated with the raspberry crop.

He used to grow around 90 acres for processing in the halcyon days of the outdoor crop and has just completed his 48th fruit season.

He was a director of Blairgowrie Raspberry Growers and managing director for a period.

Mr Neill recalls BRG handling 240 tonnes of pulp raspberries and 40 tonnes of basket fruit in one day in 1991.

The total annual production now for the entire Scottish processing crop will not be more than twice that tonnage.

He is still an active participant in the market through his directorship of Forfar-based Saltire Fruits.

“I regret the decline in the acreage over recent years but we have had to re-adapt, and now grow 35 acres in polytunnels for the fresh market through Angus Soft Fruits,” he said.

“It works well and is a case of moving with the times.”

Mr Neill has also been a director of the grain co-op, East of Scotland Farmers, for 25 years.

For a “hobby” he keeps sheep, running 20 pure Suffolk ewes and 150 commercial ewes.

He started keeping Suffolks in 1972 and has kept faith with the breed.

“They have had a bit of a rough time with competition from the Texel but the Suffolks are improving,” he said.

“They can’t be beaten for early weight for age.”

It would be difficult to meet a greater enthusiast for farming.

“It is not a bad way of life although it has taken a few knocks,” he said. “I do, however, regret that it has become so over- capitalised, which makes it difficult for younger people to get going.”