Ten young women from all sectors of agriculture will attend next month’s Ethical Farming Conference free after applying for bursaries from the Scottish Government’s Regional Food Fund.
The opportunity was open to all new entrant farmers and young researchers, but only women applied.
The successful applicants include small holders and new entrant farmers, an animal welfare researcher, post-graduate researchers exploring issues around agri-environment, food security and animal behaviour, and vet students,
The conference on May 16 takes place near Castle Douglas at Rainton Farm, home of the Ethical Dairy, the largest cow-with-calf dairy farm in Europe.
The event will explore issues including models of food production that have a focus on fair work for people and high welfare for livestock.
Conference organiser Wilma Finlay said she was delighted the bursary had made the conference accessible to a knowledgeable group of young people.
“We’ve developed a conference programme that focuses on bringing together practice-based innovators with academics to meaningfully address public concerns about a range of issues relating to livestock farming,” she said.
“One of the key things we want to explore is the transferability and scalability of sustainable and ethical farming systems, to challenge the widespread idea that regenerative farming can only be done on a small scale.
“Ethically produced food is an important emerging market and livestock farming needs to have a place within that market.”
Conference sessions will look at pasture management, soil, organic carbon and biodiversity. Others focus on the nutritional science of red meat and fats, animal welfare and public goods.
Keynote speakers include “regenerative” farmers Emry Birdwell and Deborah Clark from Texas, entrepreneur Nick Barnard of Rude Health, Incredible Edible founder Mary Clear, Adele Jones of Sustainable Food Trust and Defra, and Ruth
Layton of sustainability consultancy FAI Farms.
Input will also be provided by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) including professors Sarah Skerratt, Davy McCracken, Christine Watson and Francoise Wemelsfelder, as well as Dr Kathryn Ellis of Glasgow Vet School.
Ayrshire dairy farmer Bryce Cunningham of Mossgiel Farm will describe how he has gone “plastic free”, Denise Walton of Peelham Farm will describe regenerative farming, and US holistic farmer Will Winter talks about grass-fed milk.
The conference will be opened by Mairi Gougeon, minister for rural affairs and natural environment.
For booking, see ethicalfarming.org
nnicolson@thecourier.co.uk
