Forestry body pulls plug on its 'Starter Farm' programme

Zander Hughes, South Dundonald Farm, Cardenden, is approaching the end of his 10-year tenancy with FLS and told The SF that the objective behind the Starter Farm programme had been to demonstrate the collaboration between forestry and agriculture, yet the reality couldn’t have been ‘further from the truth’.

“Forestry Land Scotland’s management of the land at South Dundonald, to date, has been poor,” he said. “We were told that good land would be kept for farming and 45ha of trees would be planted on the poorer land. However, before FLS began planting in 2014, they were told that their plans covered the outfall of every single field drain on the farm, but this didn’t stop them.

“They went on to plant trees on the circumference of every field on the farm which also encompassed much of the better-quality land available. Subsequently, we lost a 12ha field of wheat in 2017 due to waterlogging and have had significant other issues since taking on the tenancy. This was meant to be an example of farming and forestry working together – it has been the complete opposite of that.”

Trees have been planted over where the field drains meet the main drain making access difficult Ref:RH180122156 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Mr Hughes explained that a recent Integrated Land Management Plan confirmed that the 52 ha unit was no longer viable as an arable farm and he has since changed his operation to run it as a sheep unit.

FLS granted a three-year extension to afford Mr Hughes time to find another place to farm but he said that he is now in an uphill battle to find access to land in the vicinity, which he says is being bought over for trees and pricing him out of the market.

“While the extension is appreciated, the fundamentals haven’t changed,” he continued. “FLS is buying up land in the area and both new entrants and established farms are being outbid by the very organisation scrapping the Starter Farm scheme.”

He pointed out that the Starter Farm programme was about giving new entrants an opportunity to farm yet said they had pulled the plug and no one else would be taking over the farm behind him.

“The press coverage around the starter farms was huge back in 2012 but it clearly hasn’t worked out as planned and it appears like FLS want to offload it with as little political damage as possible. We feel like political footballs being kicked about.”

A Freedom of Information request sought information on a strategic review carried out by FLS appraising different options for the future management of the farm. The report recommended that the farm buildings and a small area of land at South Dundonald be sold and the remainder of land to be converted to forestry ‘at the earliest opportunity’.

This area at South Dundonald was planted eight years ago and trees on the left have grown where the soil is better but the rest is more like a scrubland than a forest Ref:RH180122158 Rob Haining / The Scottish Farmer...

Mr Hughes confirmed that he was offered this option which included the farmhouse steading and 10 acres of land but refused, stating that it would be a backwards step.

The SF reached out to FLS to ask why they have decided to stop their Starter Farm programme and if the farm at South Dundonald will be turned to planting as recommended in their own report.

“Starter farms are not our core business and no longer fit well with aims and business sustainability plans,” a spokesperson for FLS confirmed.

Read more: The SF: Plan needed for young entrants to match ScotGov aspirations

“However, while we will not be offering any new starter farm opportunities on our equipped holdings we will (as members of the Farming Opportunities for New Entrants group) continue to let land that is suitable for agriculture, giving priority to new entrant applicants. In 2021 we let around 150ha and intend to offer even more in 2022.

Commenting on the future of South Dundonald, the spokesperson continued: “The land at South Dundonald has proven to be problematic for agriculture, with crops only establishing in one of the four fields, and we do not consider it to be viable for further let after the current tenancy ends.

“We have not yet settled on plans for South Dundonald, which could include sale, but if we retain the farm we will consult on any proposed future use of the site through our Land Management Plan process. Tree planting will be a consideration, but this is by no means definite.”