Press Information
19 June 2008
First 'Future Farmer' award winner announced
A farm in Peeblesshire has scooped £4,000 in a new farming award scheme after
transforming its entire operations to significantly boost its trade and reduce
its environmental impacts.
Pete Ritchie and Heather Anderson, owners of Whitmuir farm, were at the Royal
Highland Show today (19 June) to pick up their prize in the very first 'Future
Farmer' award. It was presented by Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary
for
Rural Affairs and the Environment.
Cabinet Secretary Richard Lochhead presenting
Pete Ritchie and Heather Anderson with the Future Farmer Award and receiving
seasonal produce from Whitmuir Farm in exchange. Photo © Marc Marnie
Richard Lochhead, said: "Whitmuir farm is an excellent example
of the forward
thinking approach I have seen adopted by many farmers across Scotland.
"Pete Ritchie and Heather Anderson have clearly tapped into consumer
need and
transformed a traditional farming enterprise into a bustling new business able
to feed people's desire to eat locally produced food.
Pete and Heather encouraging Richard Lochhead to cook himself a seasonal meal from Whitmuir Farm produce. Photo © Marc
Marnie
"This award will allow this enterprising couple to share their experiences,
good and bad, with other like minded farmers."
The new award scheme is funded by the Murray Trust and Scottish Natural
Heritage to promote practical ideas for improving the environmental
sustainability of farming in Scotland.
Eight years ago Whitmuir was a single-enterprise sheep farm. Since then
it has
transformed into a diverse organic farm, with the help of a Scottish Government
grant and loan from Triodos Bank. The farm now employs nine people in addition
to the owners. Produce includes beef, pork, lamb, a wide range of fruit
and
vegetables, eggs and Christmas turkeys. 'Food miles' are kept low by butchering
the meat on the premises and selling mainly to people living within a 20-mile
radius.
The farm has 130 supporters who have committed to 'eat local' by paying a
regular amount for their groceries by standing order. Supporters
of the farm
say the food also tastes 'miles better' because all the vegetables grown at
Whitmuir are in the farm shop minutes after being harvested.
Left to right: Award co-ordinator Anna
Ashmole, winner Heather Anderson, Cabinet Secretary Richard Lochhead, winner
Pete Ritchie, Murray Trust Chairman Harvey Macmillan, SNH representative Peter
Beattie. Photo © Marc
Marnie
Receiving the award Pete Ritchie said: "We are thrilled to receive the
Future
Farmer award. It is very encouraging to get a vote of confidence from experts
in agriculture and the environment. With climate change, rising prices for oil
and imported food, and pressures on biodiversity, we need to find more ways to
grow local food sustainably and keep small farmers on the land. We are
looking
forward to discussing these ideas in the year ahead, with the help of the Future
Farmer award."
Whitmuir customers Mary and Dave Richards sharing a joke with Richard Lochhead. Photo © Marc
Marnie
Customers of Whitmuir, Mary and David Richards from Penicuik, were also at
the
show. The couple have switched from regular supermarket shopping trips
to
buying local produce direct from the farm. They presented Mr Lochhead
with a
shopping basket of seasonal Whitmuir produce similar to what they would be
buying for themselves this week.
Pete and Heather were presented with a plaque and a cheque for £4,000. The
money will enable them to spend time this year to share their experience with
farmers and land managers across Scotland. Organisations wishing to book
them
to speak at events are encouraged to make contact via www.futurefarmer.org.uk .
Three other farms commended in the award scheme were: Patrick Bowden-Smith
of
Pittarthie, a 170 hectare farm in Fife; Minty and Aeneas MacKay of Ardalanish
Farm; Mull, Johnny and Susie Mackey of Wester Drumlochy, a 18 hectare farm in
Perthshire. The opening date for next year's Award is the 1st January 2009.
-- Ends --
For further information:
Iain Ross, SNH Press Office, 07786 190766
Anna Ashmole, Future Farmer Award Co-ordinator, 01899 830 536
Photographs of the presentation are available from:
Marc Marnie 0131 467 6153;
0780 5401192
marc@marcmarnie.com
Notes:
Whitmuir Farm is at Lamancha in Peeblesshire. The farm rises from 850ft
to
1100ft and the best land is only Grade 4.1. The company's website is
www.whitmuirorganics.co.uk and
its telephone number is 01968 661 908
The 2008 selection committee for the Future Farmer Award was: Harvey Macmillan
(Murray Trust Chairman), Michael Williams (farmer and representative of the
Murray Trust), David Younie (SAC Organic Farming Specialist), Peter Beattie
(Scottish Natural Heritage).
Scottish Natural Heritage is the Government's statutory advisor in respect
to
the conservation, enhancement, enjoyment, understanding and sustainable use of
the natural heritage. For further information on SNH visit www.snh.org.uk
For more information on the Murray Trust visit www.futurefarmer.org.uk
28 March 2008
Farmers urged to apply now for sustainability Award
The Future Farmer Award, which promotes practical ideas for improving the environmental
sustainability of farming in Scotland, has extended its application deadline
by a fortnight. Applications are now welcome until the end of April.
More ...
The award, which is in its first year, is backed by the Elizabeth Murray Trust [1]
and Scottish Natural Heritage [2]. Each year the Award will give a trailblazing
Scottish farmer a package of support to help them communicate their ideas to
other farmers and land managers.
The organisers are looking for someone who is already improving the environmental
sustainability of how they farm and would like the opportunity to inspire other
land managers. The award, which includes £4,000, is intended to help the
farmer make time over the coming year to promote their ideas.
Anna Ashmole [3], co-ordinator of the award, said: “I've heard from a number
of farmers who are interested in the Award but what with the lambing season and
trying to get their heads around the SRDP programme, they've not found time to
apply yet. Some people have only recently have heard about the Award. We're
therefore extending the deadline until the 30th April. If you are trying
to farm more sustainably and think that others could learn from your experiences,
please do apply. It's not a complicated process - you just have describe
what you are doing in your own words.”
Full details of the Award, including an application form, are at www.futurefarmer.org.uk or
are available by email from anna@futurefarmer.org.uk
The Award will be presented on World Environment Day, the 5th June.
The Future Farmer Award will highlight practical ways in which farmers can
contribute to government objectives on environmental sustainability [4]. It
will help farmers consider new ideas when putting together applications for funding
under Rural Development Contracts [5].
The Future Farmer Award will also feed in to the new National Discussion on
food [6] by raising awareness of down-to-earth ways in which farmers can contribute
to a 'greener Scotland' by reducing the environmental impact of food production.
-- Ends --
For further information contact: Anna Ashmole, Food and Farming Consultant
T: 01899 830 536 E: anna@futurefarmer.org.uk www.futurefarmer.org.uk
Notes to Editors:
[1] The Elizabeth Murray Charitable Trust has its roots in a generosity of
spirit and deep connection to the land of Scotland, running through several generations
of a family. Their story is on the Future Farmer Award website at www.futurefarmer.org.uk/content/trust.htm
[2] Scottish Natural Heritage is supporting the Future Farmer Award with advice
and grant funding for the first three years. Scottish Natural Heritage is the
Scottish Government's statutory advisor in respect to the conservation, enhancement,
enjoyment, understanding and sustainable use of the natural heritage. For
further information on SNH see website at www.snh.org.uk
Contact: Peter Beattie E: peter.beattie@snh.gov.uk T: 01463 725326
[3] Anna Ashmole is a freelance food and farming consultant. Anna has worked
closely with organic farmers in Scotland for seventeen years through her PhD
research on farmers' reasons for going organic, serving as a Board member of
the Scottish Organic Producers Association and starting up the Scottish office
of the Soil Association. She is also one of the initiators of Borders' Forest
Trust's Carrrifran Wildwood ecological restoration project and has worked on
environmental education projects for both the University of Edinburgh and Scottish
Natural Heritage.
[4] Choosing Our Future, Scotland's Sustainable Development Strategy, chapters
on 'Making the links: food' and 'Protecting Scotland's natural heritage resources'.
www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/12/1493902/39032
A Forward Strategy for Scottish Agriculture: Next Steps www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/03/01142456/0
[5] Information about the recently-published regional priorities for Rural
Development Contracts is at:
www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Rural/SRDP
[6] Scotland's National Discussion on Food was launched on the 15th Jan. It
is the first step towards a national policy for food, designed to boost jobs
and business, help make food healthier and minimise the environmental impact
of food production, manufacture and retail.
www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/Food-Industry/Discussion
21 January 2008
Farmers Look to the Future with New Award
This week sees the launch of the Future Farmer Award, which is backed by the
Elizabeth Murray Trust and Scottish Natural Heritage. This new award will promote
practical ideas for improving the environmental sustainability of farming in
Scotland. Each year the Award will give a trailblazing Scottish farmer a package
of support to help them communicate their ideas to other farmers and land managers.
More ...
The organisers are looking for someone who is already improving the environmental
sustainability of how they farm and would like the opportunity to inspire other
land managers. The award, which includes £4,000, is intended to help the farmer
make time over the coming year to promote their ideas.
The Future Farmer Award opens for applications this week and the closing date
is the 14th April 2008 (deadline later extended to 30th April 2008). Applications
will be assessed by a panel of experts and shortlisted candidates will be interviewed
by representatives of the Elizabeth Murray Trust and Scottish Natural Heritage.
The Award will be presented on World Environment Day, the 5th June. Full details
of the Award, including an application form, are at www.futurefarmer.org.uk
The Future Farmer Award is co-ordinated by Anna Ashmole [1] on behalf of the
Elizabeth Murray Trust [2]. Anna Ashmole said: “The Elizabeth Murray Trust was
set up by an extraordinary family who loved the landscape of Scotland and who
were active in all kinds of social efforts to improve what they saw as an ageing,
depopulating, tragic and beautiful country. They were involved in early organic
farming experiments in the 1940s and later in the Camphill movement. They were
also innovators: Elizabeth's husband installed one of the first water-powered
electricity plants in their home in Applecross. When the Trust asked me to develop
long-term project I saw it as a chance to help farmers step outside the day-to-day
concerns of running a farming business and inspire each other with new ideas
to take Scottish farming into the future.”
The Future Farmer Award will highlight practical ways in which farmers can
contribute to government objectives on environmental sustainability [3]. It will
help farmers consider new ideas when putting together applications for funding
under Rural Development Contracts [4].
The Future Farmer Award will also feed in to the new National Discussion on
food [5] by raising awareness of down-to-earth ways in which farmers can contribute
to a 'greener Scotland' by reducing the environmental impact of food production.
Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Environment said:
“This
award presents farmers with an excellent opportunity to herald the many examples
of good and innovative work being undertaken the length and breadth of Scotland.
“As Cabinet Secretary I have been hugely impressed with the forward thinking
approach adopted by the industry and the efforts made in finding ways of nurturing
what is arguable Scotland’s greatest asset – its natural environment.”
The Future Farming Award is financially supported by Scottish Natural Heritage
[6]. Peter Beattie, of Scottish Natural Heritage, said: “We know that there are
many land managers in Scotland who are undertaking farsighted, cutting edge farm
management which is also environmentally sustainable. SNH is pleased to support
this innovative new award which will help farmers and crofters share with others
what they are doing. We encourage land managers to think about entering, no matter
how big or small their landholding is.”
-- Ends --
For further information contact: Anna Ashmole, Food and Farming Consultant
T: 01899 830 536 E: anna@futurefarmer.org.uk www.futurefarmer.org.uk
Notes to Editors:
[1] Anna Ashmole is a freelance food and farming consultant. Anna has worked
closely with organic farmers in Scotland for seventeen years through her PhD
research on farmers' reasons for going organic, serving as a Board member of
the Scottish Organic Producers Association and starting up the Scottish office
of the Soil Association. She is also one of the initiators of Borders' Forest
Trust's Carrrifran Wildwood ecological restoration project and has worked on
environmental education projects for both the University of Edinburgh and Scottish
Natural Heritage.
[2] The Elizabeth Murray Charitable Trust has its roots in a generosity of
spirit and deep connection to the land of Scotland, running through several generations
of a family. Their story is on the Future Farmer Award website at www.futurefarmer.org.uk/content/trust.htm
[3] Choosing Our Future, Scotland's Sustainable Development Strategy, chapters
on 'Making the links: food' and 'Protecting Scotland's natural heritage resources'.
www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/12/1493902/39032 A Forward Strategy for
Scottish Agriculture: Next Steps www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/03/01142456/0
[4] The new Rural Development Contracts include Land Managers' Options (LMOs)
and Rural Priorities (RPs) which provide support for the provision of economic,
social and environmental improvements across Scotland. Land managers can apply
for funding for a range of options under both. LMOs will have a maximum allowance
for the business. Some require a five year commitment while others are one year.
www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Rural/SRDP
[5] Scotland's National Discussion on Food was launched on the 15th Jan. It
is the first step towards a national policy for food, designed to boost jobs
and business, help make food healthier and minimise the environmental impact
of food production, manufacture and retail. www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Business-Industry/Food-Industry/Discussion
[6] Scottish Natural Heritage is supporting the Future Farmer Award with advice
and grant funding for the first three years. Scottish Natural Heritage is the
Scottish Government's statutory advisor in respect to the conservation, enhancement,
enjoyment, understanding and sustainable use of the natural heritage. For further
information on SNH see website at www.snh.org.uk Contact: Peter Beattie E: peter.beattie@snh.gov.uk T: 01463 725326
Please email anna@futurefarmer.org.uk if you would like to be included on
the Future Farmer press list.
