ONE OF Scotland’s premier farming organisations ensured the up-and-coming generation was to the fore when it hosted a special celebration of the farming community in Aberdeen on Friday (November 4th).
The Royal Northern Agricultural Society’s 2022 awards lunch drew an audience of more than 250 people to the city’s newly-rebranded Leonardo’s Hotel where those honoured included Andrew Moir (Press & Journal/RNAS shield for services by a public figure or personality to agriculture); Robert Smith (Aberdeen & Northern Marts “Local Award” to a non-public figure); John Clark (David Argo Award to an “unsung hero”) and Craig Scott (SRUC award to a person 35 years and under).
The event also provided the opportunity to turn the spotlight onto some of the younger people working in agriculture, including the student award for a farmer’s son/daughter working at home which was won by Methlick’s Gail Taylor. Whilst completing her BA in Rural Business Management at SRUC Craibstone, Gail also worked at home before heading to New Zealand to work and travel for eight months. She is currently employed on a 1050-cow dairy as their lead calf reader on a spring calving block system and hopes to work within the agri/agri-food industry.
Lifting the honours for a student employed off farm was Megan Cameron from Laurencekirk who is currently studying in her honours year of a BSc (Hons.) in Agriculture at SRUC Craibstone where her dissertation on different amounts of microbes in grazed and ungrazed land has won sponsorship from the Aberdeen Angus Cattle Society. As well as helping at home, Megan is currently working on a project funded by the Mains of Lauriston Trust to look at microbes in nitrogen fixing plants.
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Both awards are sponsored by Johnston Carmichael and were presented by Jane Mitchell (Director, Business Advisory) who said: “Johnston Carmichael are delighted to continue their sponsorship of the RNAS student awards this year. Sponsorship of these awards to young people aligns with our values as a firm. Well done to Gail and Megan.”
The Turriff Agri Parts-sponsored award to an agricultural apprentice engineer was presented to Callum McIntyre from Netherley near Stonehaven who works at DM Forklifts and won the Scottish Plant Owners’ Association plant mechanic apprentice of the year award a few months ago. Away from work, Callum spends time honing his skills fixing things at home and digger driving, and he is also a member of Kinneff Young Farmers with a keen interest in classic tractors including his own Ford 7840.
Eileen Brown, Director of Turriff Agri Parts, said: “We are delighted to support this prestigious award which recognises outstanding work and achievement in the Aberdeenshire area. It is great to see these skilled young engineers developing their expertise, talent and beginning to make themselves known in the industry.”
