AS AGRICULTURAL events slowly emerge from Covid-19 lockdowns, it's been a welcome for everyone to meet up at the likes of shows and even arable farmers were tempted away from harvest work recently to the Potatoes in Practice event, near Dundee.

But we also face a changed world in how we will all operate and the positives to have come out of this include the ability to be able to buy items from the comfort of your home, or even your tractor seat. And that includes farm auction items – it has been one of the upsides of the lockdowns that the marts have risen to the challenge of maintaining their services, even when few people were allowed entry to sale rings.

The salutory lesson for all was that, for many things, there is no reason to burn time and energy in getting to 'see' items before you buy. As long as they are inventoried properly, the likes of livestock and machinery sales have continued unabated. Indeed, record livestock prices have been fuelling marts' businesses and a burgeoning trade in second hand machinery has filled a gap for dealerships across the country that have been starved of new product because of a shortage of raw materials brought about by Covid-19 restrictions and the much talked about haulage driver shortage.

That latter issue is now becoming a serious issue. Milk is being dumped and supermarket shelves are empty of some products simply because the logistics is no longer there to ensure the flow of goods runs smoothly.

So, while there are many positives that have come out of the pandemic, perhaps a downside will be the fact that this nation will, for the first time since the Second World War and its immediate aftermath, face food shortages. It's a moot point whether this will be a bad thing!

An Open Farm

One of the events that have taken place was the Scottish Hereford Cattle Club's open day at John Cameron's Balbuthie Farm, in Fife. As ever, the agri-political giant had an ulterior motive and used the day to launch his new 'Open Farm' project (see page 58 for more on that).

But the redoubtable former NFUS president – who was never shy in meeting adversity head on – is in a scrap yet again. This time it is with Fife Council which rejected plans to house his two famous locomotives at Balbuthie as part of the experience for visitors to his new educational centre. Councillors gave the nod for the farm visitor centre, which was aimed at bringing tourism, education and economic benefits to the East Neuk of Fife, but rejected the plan to house the two famous locomotives that he owns therein.

Now 82, 'JC' – as he is known – still has a heart for the fight to right this wrong. I suspect that Fife Council will, eventually, have to give in on this one – you wouldn't want to be on the end of his ire!