David Soutar has announced that he is to retire this summer as farms director at Strathmore Farming Company after 33 years with the business.
Mr Soutar, 62, has been with the Strathmore family at Glamis since 1982 and has overseen many changes in the size and diversity of the business.
“The clock is ticking and I have a few more things I need to do in my life,” he said.
“I have had the privilege of working with some great people around me over the years.
“We have a good team at Glamis, and I am confident they will continue to flourish in what is an exciting but challenging time for the farming and rural industries.”
Strathmore Farming Company farms 2,400ha of the Glamis Estates over a range of soils, with a variety of enterprises to suit.
It produces 1,100 tonnes of Freedom Foods outdoor-reared pork annually, in addition to 6,000t of cereals aimed at the quality market.
The hill ground and permanent pasture is grazed by 200 commercial cows, all out-wintered, using genetics derived initially from a small fold of pedigree Highland cattle at Glamis Castle.
“We need most of our sheds for pigs, so utilise our Highland genetics to allow us to save costs in beef production by out-wintering,” said Mr Soutar, who recently came back from New Zealand having put a paper to a conference there to show the commercial benefits of the breed.
“Having been around the breed most of my life I knew what they could do, and when, in 1987, Mary Countess of Strathmore indicated a wish to have a few around the castle I was able to turn these into something a bit more commercial which fitted into our upland policy.”
A past chairman of Angus FWAG, David has been delighted that the measures introduced over the years have paid dividends, with many species of birds thriving in the many hedgerows, margins and on the heather moorland.
“Nothing gives me more pleasure than seeing yellow hammers around the farm office on a spring day knowing we have helped them, along with many other species, through the commitment the business has made over the last 30 years to wildlife-friendly policy.”
Lord Strathmore said: “David has given 100% commitment to the Strathmore family over more than three decades, and we acknowledge his wishes to take things a bit easier, allowing him time to concentrate on other activities going forward.
“He has, with a lot of support from his wife Anne, dedicated most of his working life to the success of our farming operation and has been a key member of our executive team here at Glamis.
“However, I am pleased to say David has agreed to be retained on a consultancy basis for a while, so his knowledge will not be totally lost.”
Mr Soutar is a Fellow of the Royal Agricultural Societies and, as a well respected judge of Highland cattle, has officiated at shows up-and-down the country.