OFFICE BEARERS

CHAIRMAN                      
David Martin                    
Tel. 07597 301748

DEPUTY CHAIRMAN                      
John Parker                     
Tel. 07970 568425

SECRETARY                     
Allan Black                     
Tel. 07512 022949

TREASURER                     
Duncan Pickard                    
Tel. 01334 870203

TALKS CONVENOR               
Graeme Hogg               
Tel. 01334 653043

COMMITTEE MEMBERS       
Jim Lawrence                  
Maurice Shepherd             
David Sinclair 

ASSIST. SECRETARY          
Vic Broad

ASSIST. TALKS CONVENOR          
Bill Bowman

TALK RECORDERS           
Jim Lawrence 
Tony Miklinski                  
Brian Murray                    
Graham Pirie

...........................

Wednesday

22nd October 2025

10.00am

Talk: 'Kettle Produce - Carrots, field to fork'

Presenter: The KETTLE PRODUCE team

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Club News

Secretary email: macblack.author@gmail.com

Chairman, David Martin, took great pleasure in introducing the Speaker on 8th October in Castlehill Community Hall - it was Duncan Pickard, one of our own members and Club treasurer. Duncan is a retired farmer who lectured in animal physiology and nutrition at Leeds University before moving to Scotland to run a farm in Fife at Balmullo and, though retired, he is still very much involved in farming matters. Today his talk has the very broad heading of ‘Farming’.

Farming

Members were enthralled and stimulated by the talk given by Duncan Pickard. The basic title of Farming could have made people think that this would be a simple talk but this is far from the talk delivered by Duncan. Those present were undoubtedly challenged to think about current farming practices and those of yesteryear, things that have changed and whether or not these changes have been for the common good or benefit of individual farmers or collective farms or for landowners.

We were reminded that bodies that oversee farming have changed over the years and their role depends on whether you are looking at devolved countries or not. As we are now no longer part of the EU this has had significant impact on farming. Have the changes been good or bad? Well that might depend on your political stance or whether you are a land owner or rent a farm and land. Formulae developed in the 1940s for things such as guaranteed prices can still apply but obviously working practices and processes have changed considerably. Europeans are not employed so frequently and a larger part of the labour on some farms comes from the Philippines. Who benefits or loses out as a result of this? Should labour be employed from overseas or should unemployed people receiving benefits be told to work on farms?

Currently DEFRA {Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs} is responsible for improving and protecting the environment, with the aim of growing and improving a green economy and to sustain thriving rural economies. This was this formerly the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food (MAFF), which was dissolved in 2002.

From the questions asked at the end it was obvious the talk captured the interest of members. A vote of thanks was then given by Colin Moore.

Vic Broad