Scotland Office Minister John Lamont has visited parts of rural Scotland to see how digital farming innovation, funded by more than £21m of UK Government investment, is helping to grow the rural economy.
Minister Lamont took a tour of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) Barony Campus near Dumfries to understand how the cash boost from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is supporting the milk industry by bolstering the Digital Dairy Chain.
He also called in at nearby Barnbackle Farm, part of Quality Meat Scotland’s Monitor Farm Initiative and one of nine farms involved in a four-year programme to improve sector productivity, profitability, and sustainability in the digital farming industry.
He said: “Driving forward new digital farming schemes like the Digital Dairy Chain is exactly where we need to be to ensure the farming sector remains profitable and sustainable.
“It’s vital as we build on the commitment to keep producing 60% of the food we consume here in the UK.”
Common issues faced in the farming industry
At Quality Meat Scotland’s monitor farm Barnbackle, Minister Lamont heard from the family who run the 500-acre site.
With 150 suckler cows, 20 store cattle, and 700 ewes, the family faces challenges common to many farmers, including rising feed prices. Looking at solutions, including rotational grazing, is something the Monitor Farm Programme will support.
Beth Alexander, Monitor Farm Scotland Programme Manager, said: “The Monitor Farm programme is farmer-led, farmer-driven and aims to enhance the profitability, productivity, and sustainability of Scotland’s digital farming sector.
“Through practical demonstrations and the exchange of best practices, we use farmer expertise to progress the industry and address challenges. This visit presents an excellent opportunity for farmers to engage directly with the government and share their issues.”
How the Digital Dairy Chain will strengthen the digital farming industry
Investment from UKRI’s Strength in Places Fund has been ploughed into SRUC to examine how dairy farmers can best capitalise on the 1.9 billion litres of milk produced in the area.
The Digital Dairy Chain will provide world-class research and business innovation opportunities in advanced, sustainable, high-value digital dairy processing.
The five-year project will deliver advanced manufacturing processes to help businesses develop new products and explore new markets. It’s hoped to create more than 600 new jobs while contributing £60m to the local economy by attracting large dairy processors and boosting industry-focused research.
Minister Lamont explained: “This UK Government investment will really put the area on the world map as a leader in advanced, sustainable, and digital farming.
“It will offer farmers, processors, and producers in the dairy supply chain a valuable resource for support, business development, and industry expertise to take the sector from strength to strength and increase the opportunity for growth.”
