LOW INPUT systems could be the way ahead for livestock producers pondering the changes likely to be wrought by Brexit and the associated uncertain future for farm support.

With that topicality in mind, the Scottish Organic Producers Association is promoting the line up of experts that will be speaking at this week's Livestock In Low Input Systems conference, discussing the successes and challenges of livestock production in organic, upland and low-input systems.

SOPA reckons that some innovative thinking around the management of animals and soil can help farm businesses build resilience "from the ground up". There are four speakers at this year’s LILIS event – happening this Friday, June 16 – who will all be discussing their experiences within the organic industry and presenting ideas that the conference attendees can take home and apply to their own farms and businesses.

First generation farmer and Nuffield scholar Gordon Whiteford, who is hosting this year’s conference, will be discussing his organic rotations and how livestock fit into the farm management plan, after taking on the Fochabers Estate tenancy in 2012. Mr Whiteford is growing peas and barley together for combining and feeding to livestock, an intercropping principle that has been successfully employed on other organic farms in the North-east of Scotland.

Another speaker – and another Nuffield scholar – is Kent farmer Andrew Howard, whose farming philosophy revolves around changing the way he treats soil, either by reducing tillage or by introducing a rotation of different crops including cover crops and legumes. Mr Howard’s conservation approach to farming is centred on moving from an input-intensive farm to a knowledge and management intensive-farm.

Also speaking is Quality Meat Scotland knowledge transfer specialist Emily Grant, who has considerable knowledge of grazing management, having co-ordinated the QMS Grazing Groups Project since 2014.

SOPA chairman Alexander Brewster, who has successfully introduced rotational grazing to his Perthshire farm, makes up the line up, advocating the intrinsic links between pasture production, utilisation and kilos of meat sold per hectare.

SOPA policy manager Debs Roberts said: “We’re really excited to welcome all four speakers to their year’s LILIS conference, and we hope that the delegates will get a lot to take home from the event. It’s an uncertain time for farmers at the moment, so we hope that this year’s conference will introduce some new thinking and a positive look to the future.”