Nine new farms will take part in the monitor farm programme in Scotland to promote sustainable innovation and transformational change in the industry.
Backed by £1.7m of Scottish government funding, the farms across Scotland will take part in the MFP, an initiative managed by Quality Meat Scotland and AHDB.
Each farm will work closely with numerous advisers and farm staff to establish the baseline technical, environmental, and financial performance of the farm business.
The nine farms are located in South Ayrshire, Strathspey, Banff and Buchan, Deeside, Stirlingshire, Roxburghshire, Dumfries, East Lothian and Argyll.
The MFP focusses on practical farming and good business practices to build resilient, dynamic farms focused on reaching economic, social and environmental sustainability.
The project brings research and industry closer together to optimise production and sharing best-practice learning and experience across the industry.
Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: “This long-running programme is ideally placed to support the wider agricultural sector to optimise production, contributing to our food security while helping meet our climate change and net zero targets.
“Innovation and sustainability has never been more important for an industry facing the significant challenges of the on-going war in Ukraine and against the backdrop of Covid-19, Brexit and the cost of living crisis.
“I would encourage farmers and crofters to engage with the programme and benefit from the shared knowledge and experiences that come from the Monitor Farm Project.”
MFP manager Beth Alexander from Quality Meat Scotland said the benefits of the programme extended 'well beyond the gates' of the individual monitor farms.
“An initial meeting takes place at each farm and these are open to the whole farming community, who are very much welcome to come along and join the discussions.
“We want the learnings and the example set by Monitor farms to benefit all farmers across the whole of Scotland.”
The latest round of MFP was launched in summer 2022 and runs until 2026.
