On
@BBCScotland
responding to Oxford Uni report calling for a national plan to reduce meat consumption/production.
We need to stop vilifying the individuals best placed to deliver a whole host of social, economic & environmental benefits - our land custodians, our farmers.
🥳I'm absolutely over the moon to share my news that I have been awarded a
@NuffieldFarming
scholarship & will be travelling all over the 🌍studying my chosen topic, 'Turning the tide on the anti-farming agenda.'
So grateful to
@The_RHASS
for sponsoring this amazing journey.
You're misleading customers
@Tesco
as not a 🏴 beef or 🏴 lamb product in sight in your biggest & one of your busiest stores at Silverburn.
Not only a lack of loyalty to Scottish farmers but a missed opportunity to showcase our fantastic home reared meat during Christmas!
🇧🇷 I visited a very impressive Brazilian feedlot this morning in the central region of Formosa, fattening 50,000 cattle annually - mostly Nelore cattle for the Chinese market.
Confinamento MP covers 1700ha & is supplied steers by 100 farmers within a 500km radius.
A 🧵👇1/7
✈️ The first part of my Nuffield journey begins 🌎 🇬🇧🇨🇦🇳🇿🇮🇩🇯🇵🇦🇺
Packing for 8 weeks - different climates and numerous dress codes has been one of the biggest challenges so far 😂
See you in May, Scotland ❤️
My response on
@BBCScotland
to the recent PETA advert discouraging consumers to eat Turkey this Xmas.
Important to remember livestock play an essential role in sustainable cereal & veg production, not to mention the make up of our beautiful countryside & supporting 1000's of jobs
🇳🇿Kicking off my adventures in New Zealand & Australia ✈️🌏
It’s the longest I’ve ever been away from home - 13 weeks!
Excited to learn how the farming landscape is changing, to take in some stunning vistas & enjoy downtime after a crazy year!
I’ll be back in Spring ❤️
Thank you all so much for the incredible support I’ve received 🙏
I am not a scientist nor a technical farming expert and will never profess to be, but I am a storyteller with a passion for farming and people, and will continue to support this amazing sector in anyway I can💪!
On
@BBCScotland
responding to Oxford Uni report calling for a national plan to reduce meat consumption/production.
We need to stop vilifying the individuals best placed to deliver a whole host of social, economic & environmental benefits - our land custodians, our farmers.
First day in Indonesia visiting a beef feedlot 🐮🇮🇩!
60,000 cattle throughput across two lots.
24 months average age of slaughter.
No GMO feed or hormones used.
Mixed feed ration inc. chopped corn, tapioca chip and palm kernel meal +.
70% beef processed into meat ball production.
🇦🇷 Argentina’s largest cattle market - Mercado Agroganadero de Canuelas.
This am, 8,000 stock were sold in 1.5 hours. Mostly Herefords & Angus prime cattle for the domestic market.
Some culled cattle sold for export to China, which receives 70% of all Argentine beef exports.
Having a tough day today & needed to
#walkwithme
to lift me out of a slump.
I have seen an amazing change in farming these last few months, with individuals being more vulnerable & open in asking about mental health & I’m grateful to all those who have supported me ❤️
Never thought I'd make the cover of a national magazine...
More to the point, a double page spread of our lovely Belted Galloways - mum's happy 😊 🤣
All this hype, best make sure this new column is a good one 😉😁🎉
I can only apologise to
@RHASS
for referring to their new ‘spanking pavilion’ & not their ‘brand spanking new pavilion’ – a faux pas which has brought much joy to our readers this past week!
Please leave your whips behind & I’ll make sure to improve my proofreading skills ⚠️🤣
🏴 I’ve been back less than 48 hours & I’ve hosted the Scottish Premier Meat Competition, attended a Centenary Ball for my school, slept for 12 hours straight & spent the afternoon moving my Belties to another farm for winter!
Feeling exhausted but so happy to be home ❤️🏴
When this heifer calf was born, her mother - a first time calver - didn’t accept her & there were some long nights spent trying to latch her on to drink.
This makes it even more special to see this beautiful bond. She has turned out to be an excellent mother!
#BeltedGalloways
🥳 Excited to spend my Birthday weekend in Melbourne 🎈
If you had asked me a year ago how I felt about travelling solo around the 🌍 it would have terrified me, & at times it has been tough & lonely, but I have grown more during this experience than I could ever have imagined❤️
✈️ I’ve arrived in Cambridge, New Zealand for two days of visits before I head to Dunedin to stay with family for Christmas🎄.
First up, Hobbiton - a childhood dream come true - then I’m visiting a free-range forest poultry operation & a big dairy farm.
I’m so excited 🥳🐓🌳🐄
📽️Behind the scenes at a Brazilian beef feedlot, fattening 50,000 cattle annually 🇧🇷!
Steers are bought in at 10/12 months from 100 farmers within 500km, & are fattened on a mixture of grain & pasture until 24 months, reaching 560/580kg.
All beef is exported via JBS, to China.
✈️🌏🏴 Heading home after 14 weeks in New Zealand & Australia.
Feeling overwhelmed with emotion about leaving & being reunited with family & friends.
I’ve met so many wonderful people on this adventure & feel so lucky that I have a home in both of these beautiful countries❤️.
For those who might have missed the result - Edinburgh University students have voted AGAINST proposals to 'cease the sale of beef in student association cafes and restaurants.'
@SAYFC
@qmscotland
@SRUC
@NFUStweets
@McCulloch_JR
🏴🚗🥛 An absolutely fascinating visit to meet Rebecca Mayhew at
@OldHallFm
to hear how a regenerative farming system pays!
Her Jerseys are pasture-fed, calves kept on cows & raw milk sold direct through the farm shop, markets & website at a premium.
Let’s talk figures 👇 1/4
🎥 Behind the scenes at Argentina’s largest cattle market in Canuelas 🇦🇷🔔💰!
🐮8,000 head sold in 90 mins 🤯
I was blown away by the expert handling of livestock by the gauchos, the stress-free environment created for the cattle & the professionalism of the operation 🤠🐴🐮!
🇧🇷 I’m here in Brazil to learn and to listen, not to judge or condemn.
The reactions to my recent posts demonstrate why my
@NuffieldFarming
research is important -we need to move to a space beyond finger pointing and seek to understand the complexity of global farming systems 🙏
Just getting ready to watch
@BBCOne
Meat: A threat to our planet? Hoping there will be a clear distinction made between American & UK meat production! Just tucking in to my own home-reared, grass-fed Beltie sirloin steak - couldn't be further removed from a US feedlot model!
🥳 Exciting work update I can finally share 🥳
From tomorrow, I will be joining
@heraldscotland
as a new columnist 📰 - my views on the issues that shape rural Scotland out every Tuesday!
Looking forward to giving rural Scotland a voice and reaching non-farming audiences!
Before winding down for 🎄
🇳🇿Some learnings from NZ so far…
Agriculture:-
💰Is the backbone of the economy
👩🌾Supports 1 in 5 jobs
🌏 Supports over 80% of exports
🥛Produces 10% of the diet of 400m people around the world
🐄 Dairy exports = $26bn
🐑Meat & Wool exports = $12bn
Are farmers themselves guilty of spreading anti-farming sentiment? 🥩 🐮
Why are we defending beef farming in the UK by vilifying other farmers around the world in the process.
This is a good example of why my
@NuffieldFarming
research is important.
More explained below 👇📹
🏴🚗Brilliant visit to
@DysonFarming
largest privately owned farming business in the UK - 15,000ha actively farmed.
I heard all about their plans to expand their glasshouses🍓renewable energy offering & how they are developing their personal food brand through story telling.
1/5
Very sad to be leaving Dunedin tomorrow but so lucky to have family here in New Zealand and to have spent quality time with my Aunty Denise after not seeing her for 5 years ❤️
I’ve been spoilt with Aberdeen Angus fillet steaks for tea this evening. Bloody delicious 😋 🥩
As a journalist - 1 of my wishes 4 2019 is 4 the media 2 become a more positive tool 4 informing the public as opposed 2 fueling uncertainty & division. The agricultural industry has a fantastic story 2 tell - let's ensure we help spread its success story more widely #
#RollOn2019
🏆⭐️ I’m over the moon to have won the Rural Rising Star Award at the
#HelpingItHappen
awards 🎉🎊
A huge well done to all the winners & finalists. Thanks
@ScotLandEstates
for organising a wonderful evening celebrating the amazing individuals who make rural Scotland thrive ⭐️🏆
🇳🇿An amazing last week in the North Island covering ag journalism at
@FarmersWeeklyNZ
, an abattoir & boning hall visit to Ovation +plus visits with 🐑, 🐄 & 🌾 farmers!
I witnessed Halter collars in action 🐄+ lots of discussions on advocacy efforts with agri leaders- wow🤯!
Merry Christmas everyone 🎄🤶🎁
Sending lots of hugs from New Zealand back home to Scotland & to all my lovely friends from around the 🌍
I’ve been so lucky this year to spend half of it travelling & making many lifelong friendships along the way - Thinking of you all today 🥰
My travels in Queensland included a tour of Australia’s largest beef feedlot, Grassdale, which finishes around 4000 cattle weekly.
Feedlots receive a lot of criticism, making them crucial to my Nuffield research.
I’ve been trying to better understand & communicate their story.
🇦🇷A sea of Aberdeen Angus calves 😂!
600 cows and their calves reunited after a busy morning of AI, with 300 cattle served in less than 3 hours at a 75% success rate.
I’m visiting a specialist AA breeder who selects primarily for easy calving and sells 550 bulls annually.
😡📢 Bear with me while I air my disappointment and frustration with my local supermarkets
@Tesco
and
@asda
on their betrayal of Scottish and UK farmers during what is a deeply challenging time for the sector 👇
#SupportLocal
#BackBritishFarming
❤️An emotional farewell to New Zealand after 7 incredible weeks!
🇦🇺Next stop Australia 🛫 3 weeks in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra & Tasmania!
I’m keen to speak to a range of voices - farmers, journos, industry bodies, policy advisers, processors etc - suggestions so welcome🙏
💇♀️ Decided to go for a big chop 💇♀️
Last minute tasks underway before my three month adventure in NZ and Australia - three days to go ⏳
🌏✈️🇳🇿🇦🇺Terrified, excited and very disorganised 😂
☀️🌊 Soaking up some summer sun in the southern hemisphere 🇳🇿
A few blissful days in paradise…otherwise known as the Coromandel.
Not normally one to post a beach pic, but feeling really happy & healthy after a rollercoaster year.
Feeling excited for what 2024 has in store 🎉!
Less meat or no meat?
I'm taking part in tonight's
@EdinburghUni
debate
The motion: “A diet including Scottish livestock products can be more sustainable and ethical than veganism”
If anyone would like to join between 5 & 7pm tonight DM me for a link
#SustainableAgriculture
🇰🇪I’ve just recorded a podcast with 23-year-old Kenyan agronomist, Rose Pajero, talking all things climate, Kenyan tribes, regional diets & dowries🎙️
Everyone is connected to farming in Africa she says, they grow their own food & regular trips to the supermarket are not a thing.
My travels in Africa have sadly come to an end 🇿🇼🌍✈️🏴
My visit in Zimbabwe has been mind blowing, from meeting farmers to journalists to Government Ministers. I’ve learnt so much in a short time & have been so humbled by all my experiences.
Zim you have stolen a place in my ❤️
🇳🇿One of many things I love here in New Zealand is how much people enjoy eating lamb.
It is a mainstay of restaurant menus & home-cooked dinners.
So inspiring to see a nation valuing this incredibly healthy, delicious & sustainable meat.
I would love to see this more in 🏴🤔
My first experience of a grouse lek was nothing short of magical.
I attended a ‘Why Moorlands Matter’ event near Barnard Castle.
It was mesmerising to be surrounded by beautiful wildlife & to soak up the knowledge of those who dedicate their lives to protecting these birds.
🎉 Off on my next
@NuffieldFarming
adventures in South America.
Argentina and Brazil here I come ✈️🇦🇷🇧🇷🌎
For those who witnessed the start my of my travels back in March - travelling with a 10kg suitcase is my most impressive feat to date 😂
#personalgrowth
🇯🇵 Learning about tea farming in Kyoto where there are 150 growers in the region. This farm produces 6 varieties of tea over 16ha. Matcha = highest value product. Yielding 200kilos of tea/ha at 50,000 yen/kilo = £300/kilo. 60% sold to domestic market /40% export to Canada/Europe.
✈️ Heading off on my next adventures to Africa 🌍 visiting Tanzania, Kenya & Zimbabwe 🇹🇿🇰🇪🇿🇼.
🎙️I will soon be starting a podcast capturing the inspiring stories & diversity of voices, of the extraordinary people I will be meeting throughout my global travels.
#watchthisspace
🇯🇵 Leaving Japan after 9 days of non-stop learning about everything from wagyu beef, to yam farming, to popcorn production🍿& a whole lot of strawberries🍓sake, melons🍈green onions, rice🍚tea, cacao, kiwis🥝& konyaku in-between! Will share more findings in the weeks ahead ✍️🎥📻
🇳🇿I’ve arrived in Wellington for a week of meetings with Government, policy advisors, Unions, Levy bodies & journalists, to try & understand how the policy environment is changing for farmers here.
Very interesting with new Govt. coming in - lots of talk of change on the cards.
🥚🐓Finishing off my farm visits for 2023 with a fascinating tour of ‘Better Eggs’ forest free-range park in Tokoroa, New Zealand 🇳🇿.
A world first for free-range birds, with over 160,000 chickens roaming around 64ha of native woodland.
Can’t run anywhere without bumping in to black and white cattle in this region 😂🐄
#holsteins
#beltedgalloways
#thisfarminglife
🙏 These gorgeous ladies saying hello this morning and giving me a breather 😅🏃♀️
🏃♀️ If anything is going to motivate me for a run, it’s living next to this gorgeous beach.
Finally feeling a bit more settled and enjoying my new apartment for a few months 😁!
🇦🇺 From Bollon to Brisbane…
Out of the Outback and off to Tasmania for a weekend of 🍷🍇and my last week in Australia, before a quick trip back to New Zealand to speak at the Zanda McDonald Summit in Queenstown, then home to Scotland in two weeks 🏴!
Back to the day job ✍🗞 after the most wonderful time lambing for the first time with
@JohnHowie88
Hands down one of the best experiences of my life & so grateful to have had two wonderful teachers to show me the ropes along the way!
Roll on lambing 2022 🐑
An amazing visit joining Sunita and Sarah from
@VetSouthNZ
as they were busy scanning 800 dairy cattle at Lochhead Holdings ltd, in Lumsden.
In between rows, they shared insights on all things animal welfare, best practice & the vet industry here in New Zealand!
🇮🇹 I’ve been in Rome less than 24h & I’m already 90% gelato, guanciale, pecorino & pasta 🍦🥓🧀🍝!
📽️Feeling full, happy & thinking how amazing it would be to be a travelling food journo 🤔.
Find me anyone more willing to eat their way around the 🌎 with such enthusiasm 😂?
Spent the day being outsmarted by a 15-y-o at a brilliant regen farming festival in Tasmania.
Jed has such a bright future ahead - he is perpetually curious, full of energy & is passionate about pursuing a career in farming.
He doesn’t come from a farm - we need more Jed’s 👏
🏴🚗Fascinating morning visit to Uncle Henry’s farm in Lincolnshire with Sam Ward, where his family run a busy farm shop, butchery, 2500ac of arable - barley, maize,wheat, potatoes, rye, sugar beet and OSR - pigs, a renewable business, plus holiday cottages. 1/6
🥶 Plenty of frozen water troughs and thirsty livestock across Scotland today 🥶
Who knew a gutter would come in this handy - great suggestion from James who works with us 💪.
Sound muted to avoid Dad’s swearing 😂😂😂.
#beltedgalloways
#hardycattle
#nativebreeds
🇦🇺🦘🤠 Exploring the Aussie Outback this week, chatting with farmers about all things livestock management, drought resilience & carbon farming.
I’ve been told the landscape has never looked healthier - the famous red dirt soils are bursting with native fauna & flora.
🇧🇷 Let’s talk deforestation in Brazil 🌳
A 🧵👇
1/6 Deforestation has been one of the main discussion points during my travels here & as expected, it is a much more complicated and nuanced discussion than what is often misunderstood & miscommunicated by journalists.
🇳🇿 First day in NZ spent doing one of my favourite activities - supermarket hopping 🛒!
I always find it fascinating to see different pricing strategies, certification labels (or lack of) packaging and marketing.
First up can we just appreciate the
size of this celery?
🇹🇿Leaving Tanzania with a heavy but full heart having met so many amazing people who have opened their homes, farms & hearts to me about both the challenges they face in their communities but mostly the huge opportunities which lie in this incredible country.
Next 🌍✈️ Kenya 🇰🇪
A magical visit to Hobbiton!
The Alexander family, who run a 1250ac beef & sheep farm, were approached by the Lord of the Rings location scouts in the 90’s.
Mr Alexander, told the scout he could check out the farm, as long as he didn’t leave any gates open / mix up his sheep 😂
👑 Extremely touched to have received this special letter from The Scottish Parliament - recognising my efforts in championing the voices of those involved in agriculture.
A huge thank you to
@fincarson
for submitting this Motion & to all the cross-party MSPs for supporting it🙏!
In 2 weeks I’ll be arriving in New Zealand 🇳🇿 for a 7-week adventure to continue my
@NuffieldFarming
research on how the farming narrative is changing globally.
I hope to visit - Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Nelson, Christchurch, Queenstown & Dunedin!
Suggestions welcome 🙏
Left Christchurch behind and arrived in Tekapo for a couple of days! It has been non-stop since we arrived so good to pause for a minute and take in the beauty of this special place ❤️
Making a passionate case for animal-based proteins
@theresecoffey
said she was not a fan of
@GeorgeMonbiot
& his microbes - “It is fake food in my view, I will continue to support livestock…I only advocate authentic versions of food produced here.”
@spectator
📺 On
@BBCScotNine
responding to
@ChrisGPackham
calls for
#rewilding
Glencoe.
Very happy to have conversations around increasing integrated woodland initiatives with farming, but strongly dislike the targeting of grouse moors & ignoring their valuable role in conservation.
My family lost our beloved Grandad on Friday to Coronavirus & not being able to grieve with my family has made it very difficult.
Thank U to everyone who has messaged me in lovely posts this wknd - it cheered me up when I felt so low & reminded me how lucky I am to have my job😊
🇳🇿My first experience of the North Island has been pretty magical so far.
What a day spent driving around this beautiful sheep and beef farm - feeling extremely lucky 🥰.
A glorious day wine tasting in Tasmania 🍷🍇 ☀️.
After an 1130 start, visits to 3 vineyards, a cheese factory, a quick stop for some margaritas & another impromptu wine tasting in Richmond - I can confirm I do not look like this today 😂,
Still the Pinot Noir for me 🍷 🙌
Tractors gather in front of Berlin's most famous landmark to prepare for a protest around the city centre! They are uniting along with animal welfare and environmental campaigners calling for a more sustainable future producing food in line with nature
#WHES2020
** News just in ** This year's
@ScotlandRHShow
has broken its record number of visitors with 195,400 flocking in to the showground over the 4 days - fantastic job to all involved & especially great to see such enthusiasm & engagement from all the youngsters
@scottishfarmer
🦹♀️A reminder we don’t need to be superwoman all the time…
My travels have been chaotic at times😅.
In 4 days - I have had 8 research meetings, 4 farm visits, took part in 3 farming discussions, 2 podcasts, written a 1200-word column, created & delivered a comms workshop 🤯!
📸 Action shot of me moderating at the World Seed Congress in Rotterdam.
Never thought I’d look this composed discussing seed applied technologies, biologicals & gene-editing.
Definitely one of my most challenging but rewarding gigs yet. Thank you for the opportunity
@SeedFed
In this week's
@scottishfarmer
I met with
@NicolaSturgeon
who shares her thoughts on the sector - “Our agricultural industry is so Important to our country overall. It is vital that as a govt. we do everything we can to stand up for it, protect it, and we will always do that."
First time back on a ✈️ in 9 weeks & I’m off to Belfast, to speak at the Balmoral Show.
I’ll be on the ABP stand tmrw at 10am as part of a panel discussing sustainable beef production & sharing some insights from my 🌍 travels & how they are framing conversations around beef.
I’ve arrived in Tasmania and have spent a lovely afternoon driving across the north coast, in what appears to be paradise!
Excited to be here for almost a week of visits! Roll on Grassroots Festival tomorrow!
This
#WorldMentalHealthDay
I’m backing the
#WalkWithMe
campaign - a brilliant movement founded by
@ChrisManley777
& supported by
@domoreag
to get those working in farming, walking & talking - creating a more natural environment to have those sometimes difficult conversations.
There are more than six million sheep in Scotland that are sheared every year 🐑
This wool should be the first choice for both carpeting and insulation when it comes to new buildings and to upgrading public-sector buildings.
@NSA_Scotland
@BritishWool
Reflecting on a special year of travel - 14 countries / 6 months of visits.
🇨🇦🇳🇿🇮🇩🇯🇵🇦🇺🏴🏴🇹🇿🇰🇪🇿🇼🇫🇷🇮🇹🇦🇷🇧🇷
2023 was a year of non-stop learning, life-changing conversations & building special friendships around the 🌎
Thank you
@The_RHASS
for supporting this incredible journey!