#StandWithUkraine Caledonian Style

A special auction to raise funds for charities supporting people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine will be held this week by Caledonian Marts, Stirling. Restaurant vouchers, holidays, farming equipment, livestock sporting memorabilia and experience tickets will be auctioned live, and simultaneously online at caledonian.auctionmarts.com, when the sale gets underway at 11:00 this coming Saturday, 23rd April.

Now is the Perfect Time to Consider Organic Conversion - Apply by 29 April 2022

Are you worried about rising costs of fertiliser? Then now might be the perfect time to convert to organic farming and remove this worry. Artificial nitrogen is not required in organic farming, with organic farming working in a natural way to protect soils and biodiversity with fewer artificial inputs. The Scottish Government has made a manifesto promise to support the growth of organic farming in Scotland, and there are funding provisions to support organic conversion and maintenance in the AECS Scheme.

Producing what the customer wants at John Scott Meat

From humble beginnings in 1968, selling eggs and cattle from the family farm to their local butcher, John Scott Meat has evolved into a successful family business with a reputation for supplying the highest quality Scottish Beef and Lamb directly to independent butchers, Smithfield market and high-end restaurants across the entire length of the UK. From their processing facilities in Paisley, John Scott Meat currently process 15,000 cattle and 16,000 lambs a year and, with a team of in-house qualified artisan butchers, are uniquely positioned to be able to both select and prepare individual carcasses to meet the exacting requirements of each client. This be-spoke butchery service differentiates John Scott Meat from similar processers selling into the commercial supermarket trade and has resulted in a loyal following in the butchery and service trades where quality and consistency are valued above all.

Launch of Online Training for Rural & Foodie Businesses

Rural and food and drink-related businesses can now gain access to tailored online training following the official launch of the OnFARM Academy by PR and Marketing Agency, Scene & Herd Ltd. The OnFARM (Food, Agriculture and Rural Matters) Academy recognises that for rural businesses, not all in-person training is accessible, affordable or tailored. OnFARM, however, is created by a rural business specifically for those who own or work in rural and food and drink-related businesses. The Academy’s initial courses include Facebook and Instagram for beginners, Working with Instagram Influencers and Mental Health First Aid. Two courses will be added every month, eventually covering all aspects of communications, HR and people management, business management and more. Each course will be conducted by recognised experts.

2022 ‘Helping It Happen’ Rural Awards Launched

Rural people across Scotland and beyond are being urged to share stories of work done by local estates and land-based businesses to help their surrounding communities and landscapes flourish, as nominations for the Helping It Happen Awards 2022 get underway. The Awards, run by Scottish Land & Estates, are now in their sixth year, again focusing on the key aim of recognising the role of estates, farms and rural businesses in enabling and supporting success in rural areas and helping rural Scotland to thrive. The Helping it Happen Awards 2022 will be supported by headline sponsors NatureScot and entrants can enter, or be nominated for, any of nine categories.

Can You Help Caledonian Marts to Fundraise for Ukraine?

The team at auctioneering firm Caledonian Marts, much like the rest of the population, is looking on with horror at what is going on in Ukraine at present. The team now seeks your help in its fundraising efforts to raise money for those most affected by the war. The business has decided to hold a charity auction and raffle at its premises in Stirling at 11 am on Saturday 23rd April 2022 to raise funds for UNICEF’s campaign to Help Protect Children in Ukraine and for Central Plains Group, a regenerative farming business with operations in Ukraine who are raising funds to help refugees streaming into Western Ukraine from Kyiv and East Ukraine. All funds raised will be split equally between these two good causes.

Final Spaces in Development Proramme for Women in Agriculture

The Scottish Government-funded ‘Be Your Best Self’ programme, whose delivery agents include experts in personal development facilitation, mental fitness coaching and agriculture, currently has a few remaining spaces available in both the April and May sessions of the programme. Be Your Best Self supports women living or working in agriculture in Scotland to build their confidence, enhance their skills, and develop their leadership abilities, helping to make Scottish agriculture a more resilient and economically sustainable industry.

Caly Continue to Invest

‍Caledonian Marts Ltd is set to continue its recent round of investment and expansion. Phase 3 of a capital expenditure programme – which included £250k of investment in market facilities and improvements – has recently been completed. Further investment in new staff is now planned, to handle increasing throughput in both livestock and plant auctions at the firms Stirling Auction Centre.

Silage Shines from Stromness to Stranraer

The AgriScot Silage Competition, judged as part of the special awards ceremony held at Ingliston recently, rewarded quality silages produced on farms as far apart as Stromness and Stranraer. One hundred and forty silage analysis reports were submitted to the competition, across dairy, beef & sheep, big bale and young farmers classes. Samples of the silages with the best analysis were collected for live assessment by the competition judges at the AgriScot awards ceremony.

Nofence Wins at AgriScot

An exciting new product which allows farmers to graze their livestock within set areas, but without the need for traditional fencing, has won the top prize at this year’s AgriScot Innovation Awards.‍This was Nofence Grazing Technology’s GPS-controlled head collars for cattle, sheep and goats, which allow users to digitally set grazing areas, with an audible signal acting as a the first ‘fence’ and a small electric pulse as the final deterrent to keep them within those boundaries.

Press Release