A group of Stirlingshire farmers are having an open meeting with a view to starting up a local agricultural discussion society.

The group, led at the moment by James Rankin, Badenheath, Cumbernauld, will hold a discussion evening at Briarland Farm, Blairdrummond, near Stirling, on February 28 from 7.30, to look at ideas for the proposed new group. Local SAC representative, Jack Munro has agreed to be the group's facilitator - further details can be had from him at jack.munro@sac.co.uk.

James told The Scottish Farmer: "There are successful agricultural discussion societies all around us at the likes of Perth, Lanark, and Renfrewshire, so there's maybe a gap here for us to get together during the long winter evenings. We'll be looking for ideas to come up with some ideas for meetings next winter and hope as many farmers as possible will come along to help us gauge what appetite there is for such a group."