NINE new monitor farmers are needed across Scotland, and a campaign to recruit them is being launched this week by organisers Quality Meat Scotland and AHDB Cereals and Oilseeds. 
They are looking for farmers in the following areas – Nithsdale; the Scottish Borders; North Ayrshire; Lothians; Mearns and Angus; Lochaber; Morayshire; Sutherland; and The Northern Isles. 
The aim is to enlist farms, typical of their area, to help improve the profitability, productivity and sustainability of producers through practical demonstrations, the sharing of best practice and the discussion of up-to-date issues.
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy Fergus Ewing said: “New agricultural techniques and the uptake of innovation and technology can make a real difference to improve productivity and farm business profitability, and it is essential that they are available to Scottish producers. 
“That is why the sharing of best practice, adoption of new ideas and research and development carried out at monitor farms is so important. I look forward to this ambitious new monitor farm programme playing a leading role in the transformational change of farm and rural business in Scotland to successfully meet the challenges ahead.”
QMS’s Douglas Bell said that monitor farms have had a strong track record since the launch of the programme in 2003: “In order to address the challenges currently facing farmers, this new joint initiative between AHDB Cereals and Oilseeds and QMS will focus on improving whole business management and profitability,” explained Mr Bell.
The criteria for selection specify that farming has to be the full-time profession of at least one of the family members and the farmers need to be willing to disclose information about their businesses with a group of neighbouring farmers.