| News
Brexit could result in shift
towards organic products
BREXIT could result in more Scottish farmers switching
their attention towards organic production, according to a
leading land expert.
alcolm Taylor,
Head of Land
Management at
Bell Ingram,
believes that
continuing
uncertainty caused by the Brexit
vote, coupled with the likely
elevated environmental constraints
introduced post-EU breakup, will
make organic farming a more
attractive option.
He feels that the growing
evidence of consumer-led demand
for organic and ‘superfood’
products will lead to more farmers
focussing on the attractions of
organic production.
M
In the UK, sales of organic
foods grew by 7.1 percent in
September
Malcolm said: “There is no
secret that organic farming is not
for everybody, but with Brexit
uncertainty, budget cuts and
pressure on inputs, there might be
an opportunity for increased
organic production.
“There has already been a rapid
growth in the establishment of
blueberries in Angus, which
reflects the interest in so called
super fruits and healthy living.
“I am not advocating a
complete swing to alternative
production but with careful
marketing, it might be that there is
an expanding niche for organic
production.”
Malcolm recently spent two
weeks in Minnesota, and explored
how other farmers employed
different techniques in their areas.
Organic sales in Minnesota rank
www.farmingmonthly.co.uk
ninth in the US, with huge growth
in the sector which is reflected
across the country.
Back across the pond, in the
UK, sales of organic foods grew
by 7.1 percent in September.
The growing trend for health
foods, coupled with the fact that
farmers are likely to have to pay far
more attention to environmental
issues to qualify for subsidies
post-Brexit, mean that many may
consider cultivating organic
produce.
Water quality rules are likely to
become stricter, so a reduction in
fertiliser and sprays will make
organic production a more
attractive option. In addition, good
sward management will be the key
to profitable cattle and sheep
finishing.
Malcolm continued: “Cost
control is going to be ever more
important post-Brexit.
“We are going to have to be
more creative and adventurous,
and if organic production grows,
who knows what might follow?
“More free-range poultry and
pigs, GM crops, minimum tillage
for crops? What is clear, is that we
can’t do something simply
because it’s always been done
that way.
“What Brexit has created is the
drive for all of us to need to look at
what we do and how and why we
do it.”
Established 117 years ago, Bell
Ingram has 130 professional staff
across 11 UK offices including:
farm, estate and forestry
managers; chartered surveyors,
estate agents, architects, planners,
and building surveyors; and
tourism, GIS mapping, and
renewable energy specialists.
January 2018 | Farming Monthly | 07