Colin Ferguson Opinion

 

   

Colin  Ferguson,  West  Region  Agri  Affairs  rep  for  SAYFC,  reviews  the   sector  for  the  next  generation   In  the  last  two  years,  the  Scottish  Dairy  industry  has  faced  the  most  challenging  period  in  recent   times.  But  for  now,  at  least,  things  are  on  the  up  and  the  outlook  seems  to  be  positive,  albeit  a  bit   slow  in  reaching  us  farmers.  More  important  than  price,  we  are  starting  to  see  a  rise  in  demand  for   milk  -­‐  when  just  a  year  ago  expansion  was  discouraged  in  the  industry,  and  herd  dispersals  were  only   too  common.       For  young  farmers,  dairying  today  is  completely  different  compared  to  the  experiences  of  previous   generations.  Herd  expansions,  particularly  in  last  15  years  when  they  were  fuelled  in  part  by  the   availability  of  large  European  grants,  have  turned  the  industry  from  mainly  family  farms  with  herd   numbers  averaging  100  in  2007  to  today  where  figures  are  nearer  180.  Advances  in  genetics  have   also  played  a  part,  allowing  herds  to  produce  higher  volumes,  so  while  the  number  of  dairy  farms  in   Scotland  have  reduced,  production  volume  has  remained  static  and  more  importantly  so  has  the   price  paid  for  the  raw  material  we  produce.       I  think  the  future  for  dairying  in  Scotland  is  positive.  It  will,  of  course,  have  challenges  and  we  will  no   doubt  continue  to  experience  extreme  price  volatility.  This  may  be  a  hard  truth,  but  as  an  industry,   we  have  to  accept  this  and  seek  solutions  to  lessen  the  impact  this  has  on  our  businesses.  We  will   continue  to  see  expansion  of  the  larger  dairy  farms  to  meet  volume  demand,  but  the  role  of  the   smaller  family  farms  will  be  crucial  in  making  Scottish  dairy  a  point  of  difference  for  consumers.       Consumer  support  of  the  industry  is  something  we  have  yet  to  capitalise  on  fully  and  it  is  clear  with   the  success  of  campaigns  like  the  Morrisons  “For  Farmers”  brand  that  the  public  is  behind  us.  As   farmers,  we  need  to  be  more  visible  about  promoting  milk  consistently.  This  has  never  been  easier   with  social  media  and  this  should  be  used  to  both  involve  and  educate  the  public  about  the  Scottish   dairy  industry.         As  a  young  farmer  beginning  my  career  in  agriculture,  it  is  easy  to  find  the  challenges  and  hurdles,   and  while  opportunities  are  harder  to  locate  they  are  crucial  to  our  success.  The  recent  Brexit  result   could  be  seen  by  many  to  cause  uncertainty  but  it  also  has  potential  to  open  agricultural   opportunities,  especially  for  the  younger  generation.  I  feel  it  is  important  not  to  sit  back  and  look  at   the  downsides  of  the  future  but  instead  focus  on  the  positives.  We  may  never  again  see  the  level  of   government  support  and  grants  that  have  previously  been  available,  and  while  this  may  make  big   expansion  projects  a  challenge  it  will  also  provide  a  level  playing  field  for  new  entrants,  creating  a   sustainable  Scottish  Dairy  industry  that  can  survive  without  the  need  for  external  support.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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