By Ewan Pate, farming editor

“THE NEW monitor farm to be set up in the east of Scotland will have one main aim and that is to improve the performance of arable farms in the area,” said Jenny Batchelor, arable groups manager of the Home Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) speaking at the project’s inaugural meeting.

The monitor farm system is one which evolved with great success in New Zealand and has been widely adopted by Scotland’s livestock sector. There are already 10 in operation across the country, largely sponsored by Quality Meat Scotland. In each case a normal commercial farm opens its doors regularly over a three-year period to a group of fellow farmers with the aim of discussing practical solutions to the issues of the day.

There are to be two arable monitor farms in Scotland, one in Angus or the Mearns and another south of the Forth. “They will be the first in the UK,” Mrs Batchelor explained.

“I am responsible for supervising 63 arable business groups (ABGs) in England. These are not linked to monitor farms and work independently. Each group of six to 12 members meets regularly to compare figures and technical performance. Speakers are sometimes invited and it could be on any topic, say an agronomist or HGCA speaking about managing market risk better. It is all about knowledge transfer.

“These groups work really well, but here in Scotland we will have the exciting new opportunity to link them with the monitor farm group for the first time.”

The plan is to have initially three ABGs running alongside the monitor farm. But first a farm has to be selected. Around 20 farmers met at Finavon Hotel this week to take the first steps. A management group will be formed under the guidance of independent consultant Peter Cook and SAOS development manager Jim Booth then the search will begin.

“It will be a rigorous process,” said Mr Booth. “Finding the right farm and more importantly the right farmer will be more important than geographic location. The farm has to be a typical commercial farm of the area but we are in an area where there are many good arable farms. The farmer needs to be open minded and receptive to new ideas.”

Mr Cook added, “We will have a management group of five and hope to have a farm selected by August 3. The group will decide how it is to operate and Jim and I will be facilitators. We will crunch numbers and produce reports. The farm could be anywhere from Coupar Angus to Arbroath or Laurencekirk. With the A90 dual carriageway running through the area transport links are good and one farm should be able to serve a large area.”

Allan Smith, Cairnadailly, Ellon, had already asked if arable farmers from Aber- deenshire would be able to participate. Mr Cook was sure they could and that perhaps one of the satellite Arable Business Groups might be centred north of Aberdeen.

The monitor farm project will last for three years and will see a dedicated group of around 40 farmers and associated business people meeting six times a year to discuss progress with the farmer and the facilitators. Mr Cook added, “We will be looking for opportunities for practical change on the farm and ask what’s stopping us increasing profits?”

Robert Chapman, West Cockmuir, Strichen, has almost finished a three year term as a monitor farmer with beef production as the focus. He said, “I wanted to be able to make a living from beef in the new world without support. I thought I could get a lot out of the project and improve financial performance and that is how it has worked out. I did nothing special to the farm, people took it as it was and I was prepared to be open about what was happening.”

The costs of the arable monitor farm project will be met 50% by HGCA with the balance funded by Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Executive.