This cafe looks into the future to speculate how NE farmers may change their farming practices to satisfy the market, government’s limits on Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, while enhancing biodiversity and tree cover.
Our panel of experts are
Rger Polsoon, Knock Farm, Huntly,
Prof Peter Smith, University of Aberdeen, and
Prof Bill Slee, James Hutton Institute (retired).
Roger will outline how he has made his farm meet the 2045 requirements, while at the same time maintaining profitability and increasing wildlife. Pete Smith will describe processes to maximise soil organic matter, while minimising GHG emissions from the soil and livestock.
Prof Bill Slee has the unenviable task of suggesting what policies the government will have to implement to ensure farmers curtail their GHG emissions, enhance areas of their farms as habitats for biodiversity, plant trees of a good standard, all while keeping their farms commercially viable.
After the three contributions, you the audience, will be able to ask questions and suggest ideas. The cafe will be hybrid, so you can be present in person in Aberdeen or on zoom.
Possible questions may include what to do with hill grazings if no longer needed for ruminants. Will the reluctance of farmers to plant trees on pasture encourage institutional investors to buy land for forest planting? Will these investors care about local communities soon to be buried under trees?
Barley growing for whisky and beer production may be encouraged by Scotland’s reputation in these sectors, but if ruminants are restricted, what will farmers do with draff, the waste product? Will organic manures replace inorganic fertilisers? Will food supply become more local, to minimise transport fuel use?
Will NE soils be suitable for minimum cultivations, designed to increase soil organic matter? Will soil compaction and weed control be a problem? Should tractors be electric, powered by biogas produced from draff and organic wastes, or from green hydrogen?
To encourage bird life, insects, and animal, should hedges be planted in Buchan? Will the wind allow them to be established? Will cover crops to minimise GHG emissions reduce seed availability for birds. These and other questions should be answered.
Between out and out rewilding and current ruminant livestock farming, is there a sweet spot that can be found that delivers multiple benefits in terms of red meat, biodiversity, enhanced water management and carbon sequestration? And if so, what policies will help us to find it?
So come along to put forward your views.
