The environmental benefits provided by hill livestock farming have been highlighted in a short video featuring Highland Perthshire producer Martin Kennedy.
Mr Kennedy, who farms with daughter Katrina on 680ha Lurgan Farm near Aberfeldy, focuses on the role of Scotland’s grassland in carbon capture as he walks around his Highland cattle.
“There are people out there just now who are quite critical with regard to the emissions that cattle are producing, but nobody gives us the recognition for their role in maintaining the landscape they are grazing and keeping that land in a carbon-capturing state,” he said.
“The vast majority of the land in Scotland used for farming and crofting is very marginal. We can’t actually grow crops like cereals, fruit or vegetables but we can provide a habitat for livestock to not only look after the environment
but also produce that high-quality, nutritious product that Scotland is famous for.”
The industry argues that the grass farmers grow to feed their livestock captures CO2 from the atmosphere, which is stored in the grass and the soil and helps offset livestock emissions.
Scottish agriculture has already taken steps to reduce its carbon footprint by cutting emissions by 27% between 1990 and 2010.
Mr Kennedy added: “It’s really important in our role as Scottish farmers and crofters that we look after this fantastic environment. I have been farming all my life and I am extremely proud to be able to hand over the mantle to the next generation.”
The video, produced as part of the Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) Know Your Beef campaign, can be viewed on the QMS Facebook page.
nnicolson@thecourier.co.uk
