Our Climate Change Focus Farm project took volunteer farmers on a journey aimed at reducing the farm carbon footprint. This started with a baseline carbon footprint which was used to identify areas where efficiencies of production could be made. It was found that by making small but incremental changes in production, most of the farms were able to improve productivity and as a result profitability within the farming enterprises.
David and Nicola Barron run Nether Aden farm, a mixed unit in Aberdeenshire and participated in the initiative from 2014- 2019. Nether Aden extends to 203 hectares used to grow a range of winter and spring sown arable crops, plus grass for grazing and silage. Livestock on the farm comprises a herd of suckler cows producing finished cattle, predominantly black Angus/Limousin crosses.
Woodhead Farm is a 180 cow dairy near Newmilns in Ayrshire, owned and run by John Kerr and his family. During his time as a volunteer Climate Change Focus Farmer John explored a range of practical ideas to improve farm efficiency, tailored to his business which helped him save around £63,000 whilst cutting the farm carbon footprint by 6% with no loss of production.
Rumbletonrig covers 327 ha in the Scottish Borders and is owned and run by the Mitchell family. Alongside the main beef enterprise is a flock of ~250 Suffolk cross ewes and an arable cropping enterprise which includes spring and winter barley, wheat and rotational grass.
Farmed by Willie Officer, in partnership with his parents, Ardoch of Gallery near Montrose in Angus is an arable unit covering 131.6 hectares and grows oilseed rape, winter wheat, spring barley and seed potatoes.
Hillend Farm is a 110 cow dairy just outside the village of Clackmannan and is owned and run by Ross Logan in partnership with his parents James and Anne. Whilst volunteering as a Climate Change Focus Farm between 2014-2018, Ross & his family cut the farm carbon footprint by 6% and saved over £16,000 through small tweaks to routine practices.
Auchmore Farm, run by Stephen and Sheena Mackenzie in partnership with Stephen’s brother Donald, is a hill farm located to the west of Muir of Ord in the central highlands of Scotland. The farm covers approx. 290 hectares; 170 ha of that is hill ground, around 80 ha being in-bye and 40 ha of forestry. In addition the farm rents another 16 ha located outside Muir of Ord.
Clynelish near Brora in Sutherland is run by Jason and Victoria Ballantyne in partnership with Jason’s father Murdoch. Jason and Victoria volunteered as a Climate Change Focus Farm from 2014 -2018, during which time the total emissions fell by 12%.
Castlemains Farm is owned and run by Bob, Kathryn, Craig and Euan Simpson in the village of Dirleton, near North Berwick in East Lothian. Bob volunteered as a Climate Change Focus Farm from 2014 – 2018. During the course of the project, Bob saved in the region of £14,000 and reduced his carbon footprint by 14%* through practical tweaks to existing practices. (* discounting the potato crop which was grown in the first year of the project only)
Corrimony is run by David Girvan in partnership with his wife Barbara and parents Lindsay and Maime Girvan. From 2014 -2018 David volunteered as a Climate Change Focus Farm and during this time total emissions at Corrimony rose by 56% during the project. This was due to a significant increase in livestock numbers, associated feed and bedding plus an increase in lime and fertiliser purchases.
Nether Aden is a mixed, family farm, situated close to the village of Mintlaw in north east Scotland. The farm is run by husband and wife team David and Nicola Barron, with the help of their three sons Jack, Tom and Jamie. The farm extends to 203 hectares used to grow a range of winter and spring sown arable crops, plus grass for grazing and silage. Livestock on the farm comprises a herd of suckler cows producing finished cattle, predominantly black Angus/Limousin crosses.
David and Morag Houstoun own Glenkilrie, an upland beef and sheep farm, located some 12 miles North of Blairgowrie. David and Morag were Climate Change Focus Farm hosts from 2010 – 2013, during which time they managed to reduce the farm carbon footprint by 10% and made a financial saving of around £11,000.
Run by Neil and Linsey Butler, Stewart Tower is a mixed dairy and arable farm covering 160 ha near Stanley, Perthshire. Stewart Tower was one of our first four Climate Change Focus Farms and participated in the project from 2010 to 2013.
Brother and sister team Ross and Lee Paton manage Torr Farm, a 389 ha organic dairy farm on the Solway coast about 20 miles west of Dumfries. Torr was one of our first four Climate Change Focus Farms and participated in the project from 2010 to 2013, when they managed to save around £37,000 and reduce the farm carbon footprint by 11%.
Robert & Jac Neill farm Upper Nisbet near Jedburgh which is a tenanted farm from Lothian Estate. Upper Nisbet is a low-ground beef and arable farm extending to approximately 434 ha of which 262 ha is arable, 100 ha is temporary grazing and the remainder is permanent grassland.
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