IFAJ 2014 itinerary - "Innovations from a small island" The 2014 International Federation of Agricultural Journalists congress will be hosted in Scotland. The congress is an annual event hosted by different countries around the world as part of the remit of the worldwide organisation the IFAJ (see www.ifaj.org). The 2014 congress will be hosted by Scotland and will focus on showcasing the highlights of the Scotland's strong position and track record in agriculture, food and drink. The main congress will be held in north east Scotland (4-7 September 2014), the optional pre-congress tour will be held in England from 1-3 September 2014, and the optional post-congress tour in either the Scottish Highlands and Islands or Wales (8-10 September 2014). The main congress in north east Scotland will attract 200 delegates - agri-food journalists from around the world (Europe, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, USA, Canada, South America). The pre- and postcongress tour expects to attract 40-50 of the main congress delegates. The whole congress will incorporate hard working daily schedules with the following overriding intent to: 1. Demonstrate Scotland's vibrant food and farming sector 2. Demonstrate Scotland's diversified farm businesses, renewables and rural tourism 3. To highlight how entrepreneurial and innovative Scotland's rural economy is, despite 85% of Scotland's farmed land being categorised as less favoured area (LFA) 4. Demonstrate innovation in the case studies, speakers and science & technology 5. Focus on the importance of innovation for the future of UK farming - people, policy, systems, science & technology 6. Include leading organisations and innovators within the congress itineraries to demonstrate the best of the UK's people and organisations 7. Technology will be a key element of the congress - including an interactive website, an App and easy communications whilst the delegates are in the UK(wi-fi, UK Sim car ds for mobile phones etc.) 8. Include scientists, key influencers, dignitaries and politicians to give delegates access to influential people and interesting information/stories e.g. Scotland's First Minister, the world's leading raspberry breeder etc. 9. Energy and production sustainability will be a core element of every tour. I. Main congress itinerary There will be 200 places on the main congress in north east Scotland. The itinerary will include some activities for all delegates and five main visit areas which reflect NE Scotland's diverse rural economy. The counties being visited will be Aberdeenshire, Morayshire and Angus. The journalists will be staying in hotels close to Aberdeen airport, with the main host hotel being the Thistle Hotel at the Airport. The journalists will be taken to Scottish rural businesses grouped into five groups, representing the core sectors in this region These are listed below: 1. Arable & whisky 2. Beef & red meat 3. Fresh produce & fruit 4. Field crops & potatoes 5. Diversification & forestry The organising committee will also ensure that other enterprises not listed are included in visits e.g. Poultry, game, Scottish history & heritage. II. Detailed itinerary Wednesday 3rd September 8pm - IFAJ Executive dinner Thursday 4th September 9.00-12.00 - IFAJ Executive meeting Delegates arrive Optional day visit to Glenlivet Estate? Max 90 people?? 17.00-19.00 - Professional Development Workshop - The technologies of communication - apps, social media, knowledge transer and decision support 19.30 - pre-dinner drinks 20.00 - buffet supper with welcome from Aberdeen City and Shire and main sponsor(s) Friday 5th September at ANM Exchange 9-10am - IFAJ Delegate Assembly 10-12am - overview speakers (TBC) - James Withers (Scotland Food & Drink), Richard Lochhead (Minister for rural affairs), Diversified Scotland (tourism & energy) Lena Wilson, CEO Scottish Enterprise. Plus Caroline Spelman or Jim Paice from Westminster? this session will cover facts, figures, policy and key areas of focus for Scotland (food & drink, renewables, tourism) 12-12.30 - SAOS and ANM to talk about Scottish Co-operatives. 12.30-14.15 - lunch, tour of Mart, sheep/cattle sales and lunch 14.15 - depart to Mackies - highly entrepreurial diversified dairy farm, low carbon production (wind turbines on the farm), family business, high technology dairying, branded foods (ice-cream and crisps) plus innovative cattle breeding work into milk for lactose intolerant diets. the event aims to include Wisemans who plan to roll out the lactose intolerant milk commercially. Farm visit, including attendance of James Withers, Jim Paice and Richard Lochhead. Plus a representative from Taypack. 6.30pm: BBQ at Mackies About Mackies Mackies is a fourth generation family business making ice cream and other products on their farm in Aberdeenshire. They work with Taypack in Perthshire growing potatoes to make Mackie's award winning potato crisps. The farm is 1600 acres. 21.30 - return to hotel Saturday 6th & Sunday 7th September On the 6th and 7th of September the following 5 options will be repeated with no more than 3 stops per day to minimise time spent on the coach. All will depart hotel at circa 7.00 and return at 18.00. Dinner on Saturday night will be a Scottish Food & Drink evening with Scotch Whisky tasting and stories about Scottish food, with short 'stories' from participating organisations such as QMS, Scotch Whisky Association and Rowett Research (one of the UK's leading human nutrition research organisations). Sunday night will be the Gala dinner - venue TBC. III. Arable & Whisky Tour The Scotch Whisky industry is iconic for Scotland as well as very important economically. The sector has helped Scotland's food & drink exports hit £5.1bn, exceeding the Government's 10 year target. Scotch Whisky accounts for £4.2bn of this export figure. The north east of Scotland his home to the bulk of the country's 120+ malt whisky distilleries. This tour will focus on the history of this important industry right the way through to the innovation and technology being employed in the sector. This tour will also cover the arable crops that are grown to supply the whisky trade (malting barley and soft wheat), the by-products from the industry (fed to livestock or into bio-energy facilities), energy production linked to distilleries as well as the product itself, the production of whisky and the sales and marketing. This tour will also incorporate the oat industry an historically important industry which has remained so to date and has seen extensive innovative developments linked to the human health and nutrition market as well as those in animal feeds. [WHISKY HOST OPTION] Glenfiddich and Balvenie (Eddie to contact) (www.glenfiddich.com and www.thebalvenie.com) Glenfiddich is one of the few single malt distilleries to remain entirely family owned and our whisky has become the world's most awarded single malt, a true reflection of the passion, integrity and innovative spirit that have been passed down through the generations. Set in the heart of the Highlands, Glenfiddich (meaning ‘Valley of the Deer’ in Gaelic) is a place of breathtaking beauty. The vibrant colours of an artist’s palate fill the surrounding hills and forests, while haunting castle ruins and a bubbling natural spring add to the romance. Glenfiddich is little changed since 1886, when William Grant and his nine children rolled up their sleeves to build the Distillery with their bare hands. These same silent warehouses and steamy mash rooms produce the world’s favourite single malt Scotch whisky today. Balvenie is owned by the same family and will be included in the tour as will the Balvenie Castle ruins. [MALTING BARLEY GROWER VISIT OPTION] linked to whisky visit To visit a malting barley grower to talk about price, growing the crop, agronomy and marketing. [WHISKY VISITING SPEAKER] Scottish Whisky Association (www.scotch-whisky.org.uk) The Scotch Whisky Association is the organisation representing the Scotch Whisky industry. [OAT HOST OPTION] Grampian Oats (Hamlyns of Scotland), Boyndie (see: http://www.hamlynsoats.co.uk/about-us/) Joe to contact (Joe to contact) The Hamlyns of Scotland brand is now 45 years old. Hamlyns is part of a family food business, owned and managed by a family with 14 generations of history in oat milling. The mill at Boyndie, near Banff, opened in 1991, in the heart of Scotland’s oat growing countryside. The climate in the north east of Scotland is ideally suited to growing oats. The mill is still one of the most modern oat processing mills in Europe, combining the latest oat milling techniques with traditional customs. Hamlyns was sold to the current family owners in 1998. They remain committed to producing a premium quality traditional product, 100% Scottish, from seed, to mill to finished product. [OATS VISTING SPEAKER] HGCA - All About Oats campaign (see: www.allaboutoats.com) 'All About Oats' was launched by The Scottish Oats Group* in collaboration with the Home-Grown Cereals Authority (HGCA) ** and Scotland Food & Drink. There are many different types of oats, from coarse pinhead oats and superfine oatmeal, to regular and jumbo rolled oats, and so many ways to enjoy them too- with porridge, oatcakes, and biscuits just a few examples. Oats are packed full of nutritional benefits and can help reduce cholesterol as part of a diet low in saturated fat and a healthy lifestyle. Oats are a wholegrain food and a good source of ß-glucans, phytochemicals, B vitamins, iron and potassium, as well as various antioxidants. IV. Beef & Red meat Scotch beef is known the world over as a quality food product. It originates from Aberdeenshire with the Aberdeen Angus breed. Joe to contact Vion and QMS re sponsorship to drive where we visit. McDonald's as a potential sponsor may also dictate where we visit. V. Fresh Produce & fruit Tour This option will allow delegates to understand the vibrant nature of the Scottish soft fruit and fresh produce sector, the marketing innovation, the science and the importance of this quality range of foods to British retailers and food manufacturers. The visits will also demonstrate the world-leading research and development work being undertaken in Scotland and the effective marketing organisations and cooperatives operating in this sector. The host businesses demonstrate extensive innovation, entrepreneurialism and talented people. This section of the congress will also allow delegates to understand the issues of production in the Scottish climate, as well as management issues like staffing and labour. The visits will also address how climate change, production carbon footprints and market opportunities might change the crops and varieties grown in Scotland and wider in the UK. We plan to invite along a retailer (i.e. The Co-operative which are members of Angus Soft Fruit) to talk about the role of the retailer in fresh produce and soft fruit marketing and sales. This tour will also enable us to discuss the UK's very high food standards and assurance schemes. The proposed business visits are: Castleton or Angus Soft Fruit (Joe contacting) - plus Nicky Jennings to be invited to discuss worldrenowned raspberry breeding at James Hutton Institute. Details of the host business options (farms are either or) and the organisations that would be included within the visits are as follows: [FRUIT HOST FARM OPTION] Lochy Porter, East Seaton Farm Joe to contact (http://www.eastseatonfarm.co.uk/about-us.html) East Seaton Farm is one of the leading growers of soft fruit in Scotland. It is a family business owned by Lochart and Debbie Porter. East Seaton was formed in 1991 as a soft fruit farm. Since then, production has expanded and continues to do so, as new systems and plant varieties are implemented to ensure continuous production of high quality fruit for 6 months of the year. [FRUIT HOST FARM OPTION] Castleton, Fordoun (see: http://www.castletonfarmshop.co.uk) Joe to contact Castleton Farm is a family run business owned by the Mitchells. The family bought the farm in 1992, inheriting a soft fruit crop of 15 acres. In 1999, the family took the decision to stop dairying to increase the soft fruit production to a commercial scale. Since 1992 the acreage and production has grown each year to the current 100 acres of strawberries, 17 acres of raspberries and 39 acres of blueberries. We supply our produce to multiple retailers, with the majority of the fruit going to Marks & Spencer, Tesco and ASDA. Our fruit is also sold to local shops and delicatessens, which we deliver to daily throughout the season. [FRUIT VISTING SPEAKER] Angus Soft Fruit and Angus Growers http://www.angussoftfruits.co.uk/ Joe to contact Angus Soft Fruits Ltd is one of the leading suppliers of strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and blackberries to UK multiple retailers. The business was established in 1994 by three soft fruit growers, Lochy Porter, his father Willie Porter and cousin James Gray, with the aim of benefiting both customers and growers through direct contact between the two. With the addition of like-minded growers in Holland, Spain, Morocco, the Middle East and Southern America the business supplies the best quality soft fruit to multiple retailers 12 months of the year. Angus Growers is the Producer Organisation from whom we source the majority of our UK fruit. Angus Growers was established and is managed by all 24 growers within the group. Their aims are to increase sales of soft fruit by helping growers to grow more, better quality fruit and to market that fruit effectively. [FRUIT VISTING SPEAKER] James Hutton Institute (www.hutton.ac.uk) Joe to contact The James Hutton Institute is a brand new international research centre based in Scotland. The work undertaken is right at the top of the global agenda and involves tackling some of the world’s most challenging problems including the impact of climate change and threats to food and water security. James Hutton incorporates the SCRI business which is world renowned for soft fruit variety work. This work is now run under the Mylnefield Research Services business (see: http://www.hutton.ac.uk/commercial) including development of varieties Glen Ample (No 1 raspberry variety in the UK), Glen Lyon (No 1 variety in Spain), the varieties taht GlaxoSmithKline uses in its Ribena brand. [FRUIT VISTING SPEAKER] The Co-operative (http://www.co-operative.coop/farms/where-wefarm/map/blairgowrie/) Jane to contact Fraser Scott (Retail Development Manager or someone similar). There is a packing house for strawberries and other produce very near Scotherbs another proposed visit on this tour. From Co-op Farms website: "The Co-operative Farms has been farming for over 100 years. With so much experience to hand and as the leading community food retailer nothing makes better sense than for The Co-operative to grow our own food for our own stores. In 2003, over 100 years since The Co-operative Farms first supplied potatoes for our Co-operative stores, we launched ‘Grown by us’. This branded range of products made it easier for our customers to identify food grown by The Co-operative Farms. As time went on we realised our customers were becoming more and more concerned about where their food comes from and how it has been produced. Working with our food team the Co-operative Farms have re-branded their Grown by us range to support the British farming message across our food stores. This highlights our position as one of the UK’s largest farmers and illustrates our support of the wider British farming industry. We focus on fresh, British, seasonal produce and therefore some products from our range are only available in store at certain times of the year. Please see individual products for further informationThe Co-operative Farms own 4 packhouses where we wash and pack fresh produce ready to be delivered to our stores." [FRESH PRODUCE HOST] Scotherbs (Jane contacting) (see: www.scotherbs.co.uk) Set up by a farming family (The Wilsons), the business is now managed by daughter, Fiona Lamotte, a Nuffield Scholar, her project was looking at how to extend the seasonality of covered crops in the UK. This visit will allow delegates to see herb production, packing and the innovative work Scotherbs has done to develop the herb market with celebrity chefs and retailers. Fiona Lamotte has been appointed Chairman of the British Herb Trade Association. Scotherbs is a supplier of Fresh Culinary Herbs & Salad Leaves to supermarkets, wholesalers & food manufacturers. For over 20 years, Scotherbs has grown a wide variety of fresh culinary herbs & salad leaves in the Carse of Gowrie, to the West of Dundee, North East Scotland. "Our expertise in growing herbs & salad leaves has allowed Scotherbs to become the premier grower of fresh culinary herbs in Scotland and one of the largest suppliers of fresh herbs in Britain, now employing over 120 members of staff comprised of 16 nationalities. In 2011, Scotherbs are growing on 250 acres harvesting 15,000kg of herbs each week in the height of season as well as sourcing from abroad from approved suppliers, to complement seasonal demand from our customers which include supermarkets, wholesalers and food manufacturers. Our recent move to a purpose built pack house and office facility, a seven figure investment, has allowed us to continue to provide outstanding service, quality and expertise to customers old and new in a modern setting which offers us a 2000 square metre pack house with a state of the art high care facility. A pioneer in high care herb treatment, Scotherbs expanded in 2005 to offer fresh herbs washed and chopped to customer specification." The Scotherbs packhouse is Field to Fork, Nature's Choice and BRC 'A' grade [SCOTHERBS VISTING SPEAKER] chef Our aim would be to invite along a chef to talk about how important herbs are in British cooking. [FRESH PRODUCE HOST FARM] Mike McLaren (Jane contacting) (see: http://www.eastofscotlandgrowers.co.uk/our-growers/mike-mclaren/) Mike McLaren of MJ & J McLaren, Cronan, Couper Angus. Mike farms in partnership with his father and two brothers. The McLarens grow 750 acres of potatoes sold to Bartletts and 450 acres of broccoli sold to East of Scotland Growers. With the arable cropping the total area farmed is 3000 acres. [FRESH PRODUCE VISTING SPEAKER] (http://www.eastofscotlandgrowers.co.uk/company-profile/) Jane to contact East of Scotland Growers farmer members grow: Broccoli for fresh and freezing sales Cauliflower for fresh and freezing sales Swede for freezing sales Onions for fresh sales Leeks for fresh production We grow and supply quality assured produce for supermarket and market supplies. East of Scotland Growers' agronomists are BASIS and FACTS qualified and they advise the growers on all aspects of crop production and harvest functions. East of Scotland Growers markets produce to customers throughout the United Kingdom and near Europe. VI. Field crops & potatoes This tour will focus on two very important crops for Scotland - potatoes for seed production and human consumption and oilseed rape, as well as including other important field crops such as feed brassicas. This tour will include coverage of the diverse markets for these crops, their uses in feed, food and novel use applications, as well as the extensive research and development into the crops, agronomy, storage and processing. Given that seed potatoes are such an important crop to Scotland, the production, technical details of storage and handling, health status and markets will be covered for delegates. This tour will also incorporate innovative food businesses adding value to field crops such as cold pressed rapeseed oil and the marketing and sale of potatoes into the food chain. Linked to the food dimension of this tour, health and nutrition will also be covered. [SEED POTATO HOST FARM OPTION] A grower for Saltire Seed co-op close to Gregor Mackintosh) (www.saltire-seed.co.uk) Joe to Contact In 1992 a group of top quality seed potato growers came together to form a co-operative called Saltire Seed Ltd. Right from the start, we knew we could only achieve our aim to become Scotland's Preeminent Provider Of Seed Potatoes by hard work, co-operation, adaptability and development. By following these ideals we are now well established and have become one of the main suppliers to Walkers Snack Foods Ltd for Walkers Crisps (one of leading brands in the UK). Saltire Seed works very closely with Scottish Agricultural College in continuous R&D and innovation in science and technology. [POTATO FARM VISTING SPEAKER] Speaker from Albert Bartlett (see: www.albert-bartlett.co.uk) Joe to contact Albert Bartlett is Britain’s leading grower and packer of potatoes. Potato growers for Bartletts stretch the length of the British Isles from Penzance to Inverness. The business has been very innovative on its variety development interests, branding, marketing and retailer engagement. It is a family business for more than 60 years, "we are fiercely committed to natural farming with minimum interference. Our company slogan: ‘Naturally Grown, Naturally Tasty’ underpins everything we do. We strive to provide value and quality, achieve excellence in environmental care, as well as innovate and excite consumers. Several industry accreditations have come our way as a result of our commitment to the environment and sustainability. We not only agree planting, and agronomy with our growers, but also irrigation, harvesting and storage. We monitor insect activity to minimise our use of pesticides and use advanced technology to conserve water and lessen our impact on the environment." [POTATO FARM VISTING SPEAKER] Speaker from Potato Council (http://www.potato.org.uk/ Jane to contact The Potato Council represents the British potato industry and is part of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). “Potato Council research that focuses on the priorities of the industry to improve its profitability is crucial for a sustainable future.” Potato Council R&D Projects are commissioned and managed that aim to improve marketable yield, reduce defects and reduce input costs. The Potato Council will be invited to attend this tour to brief delegates about the R&D in the sector, markets, volumes and challenges for the industry going forward. They will also be invited to cover the retail market and the innovation in potatoes as a food ingredient as well as the health and nutrition matters surrounding the crop. [POTATO FARM VISTING SPEAKER] Speaker from SAC i.e. Dr Stuart Wale (see: http://www.sac.ac.uk/consulting/services/c-e/crops/agronomy/potatoes/potatogrowers/) Jane to contact The Scottish Government is funding extensive R&D in potato pathology (potato crop protection) and potato breeding. It is a major objective of these five-year programmes of research that the findings and outcomes are fully transferred to end users. Whilst most of the research is being carried out at SCRI, SAC has been given the task of carrying out much of this Knowledge Transfer (KT) to end users. As the R&D programmes have just started, there are few outcomes from the current research as yet but, in order to get the KT programme started, a series of grower meetings at ‘Partner Farms’ is being held to present the results of recently completed Scottish Government research and key Scottish Government policy issues. These will provide an introduction into the new R&D programmes. SAC has been carrying out monitoring on these topics at Partner Farms and monitoring will continue on Partner Farms until harvest, and the results will be analysed. Further grower meetings will be held in the winter to present these results. [OILSEED RAPE HOST FARM OPTION] Gregor Mackintosh, Mackintosh of Glendaveny (See: http://www.mackintoshofglendaveny.co.uk/about.html) (Eddie to contact) Mackintosh of Glendaveny was established by Gregor Mackintosh in 2009. “The idea of producing Extra Virgin “cold pressed” rapeseed oil came about during my honours year at the Scottish Agricultural College in Aberdeen, where I carried out a study on cold pressed rapeseed oil. I saw an opening in the market for this great healthy product and began working on establishing Mackintosh of Glendaveny after graduating.” Our farm is located in Glendaveny, Aberdeenshire, between the town of Peterhead and Longside village. The family farm is now in the third Mackintosh generation after the family originally from Inverness moved to Aberdeenshire. This element of the tour will cover the growing of oilseed rape, including agronomy, R&D into the crop, varieties and the crop's importance to Scotland. This visit will also invite Gregor, a young entrepreneurial farmer, to tell the story of his journey in developing his vibrant food ingredient business. [OILSEED RAPE VISITING SPEAKER] HGCA speaker (see: www.hgca.com) Jane to contact HGCA is the cereals and oilseeds division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).Funded by a statutory levy raised on growers, dealers and processors of cereals and oilseeds, HGCA receives an income of approximately £10 million each year. Levies are raised by AHDB on the following cereal and oilseed crops grown in the UK: wheat, barley, oats, rye, maize, tricticale, mixed corn, rapeseed, linseed, sunflower seed and soyabean. HGCA carries out research and development, market information, supply chain activities and consumer marketing programmes for the benefit of the cereals and oilseeds sector. The speaker from HGCA will cover the UK OSR crop, markets including feed, fuel, food, export and novel use as well as the research being conducted on this important crops nationally. They will also cover R&D work being undertaken by HGCA. [OILSEED RAPE VISITING SPEAKER] Speaker from SAC i.e. Dr Fiona Burnett (see: http://www.researchinformation.co.uk/pest/2002/B203214G.PDF and http://www.sac.ac.uk/mainrep/pdfs/tn602clubroot.pdf) Jane to contact SAC has conducted significant project R&D into oilseed rape agronomy, varieties, yield building, diseases (of particular importance is Clubroot, light leaf spot, sclerotinia). Fiona Burnett will be invited to join the tour to discuss the work she and her team have undertaken. VII. Diversification and forestry Farm diversification is a very big part of Scotland's rural economy, capitalising on tourists visiting Scotland for scenery, culture & heritage, outdoor activities and food & drink. This tour will focus on diversified farm businesses in tourism, shooting/stalking and game as well as farm foods and forestry. Visiting speakers will include FARMA, the Forestry Commission, Cairngorm National Park and Visit Scotland. [DIVERSIFIED HOST OPTION] Deeside Activity Park (http://www.deesideactivitypark.com/) Eddie to Contact Deeside Activity Park is a family business which offers very diverse leisure activities, accommodation, a restaurant and farm shop. [DIVERSIFICATION VISTING SPEAKER] Speaker from Visit Scotland http://www.visitscotland.com/ This speaker will cover tourism in the north east of Scotland. Visit Scotland works closely with private businesses, public agencies and local authorities to ensure that our visitors experience the very best of Scotland and that the country makes the most of its outstanding tourism assets and realises its potential. To do this Visit Scotland: markets Scotland to all parts of the world to attract visitors; provides information and inspiration to visitors and potential visitors so they get the best out of a visit to Scotland and provides quality assurance to visitors and quality advice to our industry partners to help the industry meet - and strive to exceed - visitors' expectations. [DIVERSIFICATION VISTING SPEAKER] Speaker from Cairngorm National Park Authority http://www.cairngorms.co.uk/ Britain's National Parks are an important part of the country's natural heritage. Cairngorm National Park is Britain's largest (4528 sq kilometres) and it is home to Britain's highest and most massive mountain range; its biggest native forests; spectacularly clean rivers and lochs; moorland and farmland and a stronghold for Britain's wildlife - this special place offers the warmest of welcomes from people who live and work here. The park is an arctic wilderness. The land above 600 metres - known as the 'montane zone' - is the largest area of arctic mountain landscape in the British isles. The Cairngorms contains the finest collection of different landforms outside arctic Canada - from granite tors to heavings and leavings from Ice Age glaciers. The Spey, Dee and Don valleys are major features of the lower ground. 39 per cent of the Park area is designated as important for nature heritage; 25 per cent is of European importance. The forests of the Cairngorms contain remnants of the original Caledonian pine forest and includes a rare kind of pinewood found only in Scotland and Norway. Heather moorland covers much of the National Park. A product of centuries of interaction between man and nature, it fosters enormous ecological diversity. This speaker will talk about the National Park and the work of the Park Authority and its partners. [ESTATE & FARM SHOP HOST OPTION] Finzean Estate and Farm Shop (http://www.finzean.com/) Bob to Contact Finzean Estate, Aberdeenshire, with its beautiful scenery of rich woodlands, heather hills and abundance of wildlife, has been home to the Farquharson family for sixteen generations, including the renowned Victorian landscape painter Joseph Farquharson. The Estate, encompassing farmland, moorland and forestry is managed as an integrated family business with a keen interest in conservation and the preservation of a viable and thriving community. The estate has a farm shop, tearoom, holiday accommodation and offers shooting and stalking; two very important activities to Scotland's rural economy and tourism offers. [DIVERSIFICATION VISTING SPEAKER] Speaker from Scottish Land & Estates http://www.scottishlandandestates.co.uk/ Scottish Land & Estates promotes the wide range of benefits land-based businesses provide: the tourist attractions, leisure facilities and landscapes enjoyed by the public, as well as, housing, employment, tourism & enterprise and farming opportunities. Our members are at the heart of managing Scotland’s wonderful countryside. [FORESTRY HOST VISIT] Birse Community Trust (see: http://www.birsecommunitytrust.org.uk/index.html) Bob to contact. Birse Community Trust (BCT) is an innovative and award winning local charity that exists to promote the common good of the inhabitants of Birse parish and deliver wider public benefits. It manages nearly 1,000 hectares (2,500 acres) of forests & woodland. The trust also owns and manages the unique nineteenth century water powered wood-working mills that still survive and continue to operate in Finzean. As part of this, the Trust manages land and buildings and a wide range of other projects on behalf of the local community. [FORESTRY VISITING SPEAKER] Ian Crowe - Forestry Commission (see: http://www.forestry.gov.uk/) The Forestry Commission is the government department responsible for the protection and expansion of Britain's forests and woodlands. From the FC website: "We plant 24 million trees every year, to create new woodland and to replace the trees we harvest. Some of these trees will help to regenerate blighted industrial landscapes such as former coalfield communities and to bring new woodlands closer to urban areas. We sustainably harvest almost five million tonnes of wood every year from Britain’s public forests. That’s around 44 per cent of total domestic production or 300 truckloads every day. This reduces our dependency on imported wood and provides low-carbon materials for the domestic wood-using industries, and for fuel and energy. The income from timber helps to offset the costs of managing the forests in our care. As Britain’s largest land manager we custodian of one million hectares of land including some of our best loved and most spectacular landscapes. Two-thirds of the estate lies within National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty or Sites of Special Scientific Interest.More people in Britain visit a forest than do the seaside. We offer visitors many thousands of waymarked walks and trails, cycle routes and bridle paths, open every day and free of charge. We have more than 150 easy access trails for people with physical difficulties. In many places, the Forestry Commission provides the only local opportunity for quiet and accessible recreation. The millions of visitors contribute some £2 billion annually to the economy, mostly into rural areas." Jane Craigie 10/04/2012