IMPROVED grass utilisation and the use of carbon audits will be the topics under discussion during a free farmer meeting at the Lauderdale Hotel in Lauder on December 7.
The focus on grass and reducing greenhouse gas emissions is the fifth in a series of SRUC-organised events exploring workable ideas to improve farm businesses' efficiency whilst reducing their carbon footprints.
Gillian Reid of SAC Consulting will discuss carbon audits, which are a requirement of the Beef Efficiency Scheme, and highlight areas where changes can be made to reduce carbon emissions and save money.
Her colleague Poppy Frater will lead a session on improving grass utilisation and the simple steps that can be implemented in the coming season.
SAC Consulting's St Boswells office manager Donald Dunbar said: “This is an important event for farmers to attend as it will focus on cutting greenhouse gases from agriculture. Making more efficient use of resources leads to reduced production costs thereby improving the profitability of the farm business.
“The meeting will use data gathered at Rumbletonrig Farm over two years – revealing where opportunities for carbon reduction and possible cost savings can be made.”
Rumbletonrig is run by John Mitchell and his family. The farm covers 327 hectares of mainly grass, followed by spring barley and winter wheat. A proportion of the grass area is used for silage production and is clamped for winter feeding. The farm supports 300 suckler cows and 250 breeding ewes.
It is part of a wider catalogue of farms involved in the Farming for a Better Climate initiative funded by the Scottish Government.
SAC Consulting's climate change manager Rebecca Audsley said: “Carbon auditing could be a very useful tool for some farms. It is another way to look at the farm business performance – and assess efficiency against similar enterprises.
“Looking at the farm carbon footprint identifies areas that are above average in terms of emissions – indicating areas where there may be scope for savings and improvements in production.”
The meeting starts at 11.00am and finishes at 2.00pm, with a free lunch thrown in. To attend, register with SAC Consulting in St Boswells on 01835 823322 or fbsstboswells@sac.co.uk
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