Kirsten Williams, SAC Consulting, presented the findings of her 2024/25 forage crop work across four Aberdeenshire farms, at the recent Deeside Monitor Farm Open Meet, ‘Forage for Thought’. Kirsten studied ten systems on the farm, covering brassicas, deferred grazing and forage beet.

The presentation, found here, introduces the farmers, explains the main features of the project and discusses crop choices, covering costs and convenience.

Kirsten has created four papers covering Choice of Crop, Establishment, Weather Resilience and Utilisation & Nutrition. There is also a Case Study, featuring Duncan Morrison, the Deeside Monitor Farmer.

You can find these below the presentation report.

FAS TV returned to the Strathspey Monitor Farm in October 2025 to find out how the Smith Family have got on with trialling virtual fence technology with their bulling heifers on a species-rich hill that requires targeted grazing for biodiversity.

In this video, Hamish Smith explains how he uses the virtual fencing to manage his stock on a 200ha upland area which had been ungrazed for several years.

Peter Beattie, Monitor Farm’s North Regional Adviser talks about the Monitor Farms and the way they use virtual fencing to enable farmers to optimise pasture use.

NatureScot’s Anne Elliott discusses how important the use of the virtual fence technology has been in managing the species-rich hill at Auchernack, as she describes some of the many plant species which are benefiting from cattle grazing the hill while enhancing sustainability on-farm.

Strathspey Monitor Farm Winter 25 Meeting Report

Auchernack Farm, in the heart of the Cairngorms has been in the spotlight as the Strathspey Monitor Farm for the last three years.  The Farm’s Management Group, a collection of farmers and other professionals, proposed a winter discussion on Bluetongue and Ecological Focus Areas, two topics likely to top conversations across the Highlands in 2026.

Here is the report of the meeting with links to the presentations and key online webpages.

Monitor Farm Scotland has launched a new Management Accounting Guide, aiming to help farmers take more control over making timely financial decisions. The workbook helps turn profit and loss accounts into a decision-making tool, giving greater insight into financial performance and identifying successes and potential problems at an earlier stage.

The user-friendly guide, which is available in print and online, has been written by farm business consultancy Laurence Gould. It is designed to approach the task in a step-by-step process using data which is already available on-farm.

Grace Reid, Programme Manager for Monitor Farm Scotland said: “Our aim throughout our current four-year programme and beyond is to improve the productivity, profitability, and sustainability of Scottish farming businesses. Being able to make the right financial decisions is a crucial part of that, and it’s something that our Monitor Farms, management groups and meeting attendees have discussed at length.

“With our focus on being ‘Farmer Led, Farmer Driven’, this Management Accounting Guide is designed as a useful, practical workbook, helping to convert profit and loss accounts into a decision making tool. It’s not about adding more paperwork and office time to already busy businesses, but about getting much more from the figures and data farmers already have.”

Guide co-author Ian Thompson, Dunfermline-based associate director of Laurence Gould, said: “We were delighted to work with Monitor Farm Scotland to produce the Management Accounting Guide as it’s an opportunity to help a wide range of farmers benchmark their businesses from their own farm accounts. 

“We see daily the benefits that arise from farmers benchmarking and gaining the confidence to make positive changes that make their businesses more resilient and fit for the future.”

Callum Turnbull, Melrose based Laurence Gould consultant and guide co-author added: “By working through their own figures alongside the guide, farmers can quickly identify where their business is performing well, where costs are out of line, and where meaningful improvements can be made.

“Farmers are encouraged to use the guide in short, focused sessions, compare results with previous years and industry benchmarks, and revisit the process regularly. The aim isn’t perfection – it’s to give farmers clearer insight, stronger decision-making, and greater confidence in planning for the future.”

Monitor Farm Scotland will be launching a series of videos and workshops in spring 2026 to enable farmers to work through their accounts and the Management Accounting Guide template, with meeting dates and formats to be confirmed.

This November, Monitor Farm Scotland held impactful impactful sessions in Elgin (3rd Nov) and Edinburgh (7th Nov) whereby farming families came together to tackle some of the toughest conversations in agriculture—succession planning, management transition, and family communication.

Led by Lydia Carpenter, with remote insights from Elaine Froese, these workshops created a safe space for open dialogue and practical strategies to strengthen farm businesses for the future.

Why These Conversations Matter

These conversations are not always easy—but they are necessary. Succession isn’t just about legal documents—it’s about relationships, clarity, and planning ahead. Avoiding these discussions can lead to stress, conflict, and uncertainty. Participants willingness to show up, speak up, and lean into the tough topics is what makes the Monitor Farm Scotland programme truly farmer led and farmer driven.

Top Takeaways from the Events

• Start Early: Succession planning works best when it’s proactive, not reactive.
• Communicate Clearly: Use structured family meetings to reduce tension.
• Protect Business Continuity: Planning ahead safeguards both the farm and family relationships.

What Participants Said

“Future planning is essential regardless of how difficult it may be and it is so comforting to know there are resources out there to help.”
“Mindset is very important – we now have a plan for our next family meeting and will be able to move things forward based on what we learnt today.”

Resources & Next Steps

• Download the slides from the events → See below
• Listen to the Monitor Farm podcast: Field Talk for an introduction to the topic and a live round up from the events:
• 1. Discuss the Undiscussabull Comes to Scotland
• 2. Coaching for Clarity – Making a Positive Difference
• 3. Mediation Matters – Finding common ground in farming families
• 4. Tackling transition successfully – how it can be done
• 5. Discuss the Undiscussabull – The power of talking it through
• Watch Lydia Carpenter’s recap video → Monitor Farm Scotland YouTube Channel
• Access a copy of the Discuss the Undiscussabull Succession Planning Guide → contact greid@qmscotland.co.uk

Thank You

A huge thank you to our speakers, Lydia Carpenter and Elaine Froese, for sharing their expertise and compassion. And to RSABI, Farmstrong Scotland, and Gordon Davies your support has been invaluable and reminds us that help is always available.

Let’s keep the conversation going – at home, on the farm, and in our communities.

Sheep and beef farmers are being invited to sign up for ‘Data made easy’ workshops to help make the most of their on-farm hardware and software for EID, weighing and management. The three Monitor Farm Scotland events will allow farmers to get one-to-one advice on their own set-up, practical tips to streamline data flow and tackle any issues. 

The events are being led by independent farm technology specialist Matt Blyth, an experienced innovator in the sheep and beef industry and the founder of Blyth Livestock Advisory Services (BLAS). A flock manager prior to setting up BLAS, he was among the first farmers to adopt EID technology to capture key livestock data. Today, Matt applies this practical expertise to help farmers across the UK harness their own data to enhance livestock management and business performance 

Matt said: “These workshops will help people understand their own farm technology, get the best set-up on-farm and improve decision making and profitability. It’s about understanding how your technology can work for you.”   

Places on these practical workshops must be pre-booked as they have a maximum capacity of 12 people to ensure dedicated support.  

To ensure maximum benefit from the individual sessions, attendees will be asked for more information regarding the equipment they would like to bring along to the workshop alongside how they would like to integrate data collection and utilisation. This could be anything from understanding your current set up, learning new software, improving data recording, connecting EID with weighing, troubleshooting, decision-making and more. 

Iona Smith, Monitor Farm regional adviser said: “Technology should help simplify, streamline and improve daily tasks while optimising animal performance. These small, practical workshops will allow farmers to discuss their on-farm set-up, any issues they might be having and identify how they can best run the systems in their farming business. 

“Whether you’re using ruminant technologies such as Tru-Test or Gallagher or just getting started – this workshop will help you connect the dots between hardware, software, and decision-making,” she said. 

Matt has already featured in the Monitor Farm Scotland podcast, Field Talk, discussing his practical experiences with technology: https://youtu.be/wmPZMpHG6tM 

We are inviting you to take part in a new enterprise costing project delivered through the Monitor Farm Scotland Programme, in collaboration with SAC Consulting.

Open to all Farmers and Crofters

This project will gather physical and financial data from cattle, sheep, and arable farms across Scotland to build a robust set of benchmarks and insights. Your participation would be hugely valuable, not only for your own business, but for the wider industry. You may be aware of a similar piece of work carried out in the past by QMS on a larger scale.

Why Get Involved?

• Receive a personalised report on your farm’s performance.
• Benchmark your enterprise against anonymised data from similar systems.
• Contribute to a dataset that will inform policy, industry support, and best practice.
• Insights into key performance indicators to help identify opportunities for improvement.
• Help shape a series of Better Farming Guides to support more profitable and sustainable farming across Scotland.

What’s Required?

• Share financial and physical data for the period April 2024 – March 2025.
• Data will be collected on farm by SAC Consulting using a standardised Excel tool and verified using existing records (e.g. ScotEID, myHerdStats, IACS maps) between December 2025 and February 2026.(All information will be treated confidentially and anonymised in reporting which will be delivered May 2026.)

Next Steps

If you are interested in participating or would like more information, please contact greid@qmscotland.co.uk

Monitor Farm Scotland is launching a new series of workshops this November to help farming families across Scotland tackle one of the biggest challenges in agriculture—communicating effectively about the future. The events will focus on farm family relationships, conflict resolution, and succession planning, providing practical tools to support smoother transitions and stronger businesses. 

Taking place in Elgin, Larkhall, and Ingliston, the workshops will bring together farming families from across the North, West, and East of Scotland, making it easier for people to access support and advice close to home. 

Building on the success of AHDB’s 2024 events, these sessions will feature Canadian expert Lydia Carpenter of Farm Family Coach Inc., who will provide practical tools and specialist insights to help families strengthen relationships and plan for the future. 

The workshops, themed “For Farm Families Who Want Better Communication & Conflict Resolution to Secure a Successful Farm Transition,” will explore succession planning, management transitions, and intergenerational communication—issues at the heart of many farming families. Through real-life stories and professional guidance from Lydia Carpenter, who works closely with renowned expert Elaine Froese, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of the emotional, financial, and practical aspects of handing over the reins. 

Registration is required, please click on links below:

Elaine Froese, joining remotely, will offer bespoke insights on “Finding Fairness in Farm Transition,” recognising that perceptions of fairness vary depending on which family or farm team member is involved. She explains: 

“The emotional factors affecting planning can be managed to help folks get clarity of expectations, certainty of timelines and agreements, and a commitment to act. Once you start talking openly, great solutions can be created. Families who stop the conflict avoidance dance are relieved to find out that expressing emotion and creating solutions can be done in a safe and respectful manner. 
You get the behaviour you accept on your farms, so start looking for new ways to reach out and adapt to each other’s needs. When needs are met, conflict decreases.” 

Lydia Carpenter comments: 

“The mindset shift that needs to happen in agriculture is that communication and conflict is not bad. You can have good conflict, which in farm transition is what can ignite the creativity that is needed to get things done. Running a farm, and working through a farm transition, is complex, but that does not mean it has to be complicated. We are passionate about sharing tools and insights that can help farm families and teams be in spaces that feel constructive and generative. Sometimes that means addressing tension, conflict, and communication challenges to make the next steps in farm and ranch transition. We are passionate about the work we do. Learning better communication and conflict resolution skills is within farmers’ control and can be embraced as a risk management strategy for their operation, helping with family dynamics and future planning.” 

Grace Reid, Monitor Farm Scotland Programme Manager (Maternity Cover), adds: 

“Navigating difficult conversations with family or business partners is something every farmer can relate to. These workshops will build confidence, strengthen communication skills, and help farmers tackle sensitive topics head-on, supporting a successful future for their business. We have also produced a bespoke podcast series to complement the workshops. You can listen to the episodes via the Monitor Farm Podcast Field Talk, where we explore the conversations that matter most.”

All workshops are free to attend, with lunch, tea, and coffee provided. As an added bonus, each attendee will receive a workbook to guide them through the exercises, along with the opportunity to complete a Conflict Dynamics Profile (CDP). This tool helps individuals understand how they respond to conflict by highlighting constructive behaviours (like perspective-taking and solution-creating), destructive habits (such as avoiding or retaliating), and personal “hot buttons” that trigger strong reactions. It offers valuable insights to improve communication and aims to help reduce drama in farm family dynamics.

Farm technology has the potential to improve productivity, profitability and sustainability of this and other Highland farms. Three technologies were on display at the July Open meet, covering grassland management, dock control and virtual fencing.

Critical Mass, Breeding Replacements, Herd Health and ‘The Ultimate Cow’ were up for discussion at July’s Deeside Monitor Farm Open Meet in July 2025.

Duncan and Claire Morrison were joined at Meikle Maldron by consultant Gavin Hill, SAC, vet Tim Geraghty and farmer Neil MacGowan, Incheoch Farm. This report summarises the key points in growing a successful suckler herd.