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Motion · S6M-10908 · 20 Oct 2023

Clydesdale Farmer Named Dairy Farmer of the Year

Lodged by Brian Whittle Standard Motion 32 supporters

The motion

That the Parliament welcomes the news that William Baillie of Hillhend Farm in South Lanarkshire has been named the Farmers Weekly 2023 Dairy Farmer of the Year; understands that the awards seek to celebrate British farming and recognise the achievements of farmers across the country; further understands that the Dairy Farmer of the Year award commends innovative technical skills, cost management, and seeking value where possible to create a profitable and sustainable dairy business in the face of challenging market conditions; notes that Farmers Weekly named Mr Baillie as dairy farmer of the year for his strong sense of direction in business, sound technical performance, and attention to cow welfare and profitable farming; further notes that Mr Baillie began with 50 cows in 1997, following traditional winter housing and summer set-stocking management, and currently has 400 cows fully housed with a diversified business that includes retailing, baking, and farm tours; commends Mr Baillie on his various technical improvements over the years that have included genomic testing and breeding selection for profitable lifetime index, fat and protein, management traits, and feed efficiency, as well as switching to compact feeding, which has yielded higher butterfats, and introducing zero-grazing alongside adding forage to the diet, which it believes has reduced ration costs and improved cow diets; congratulates Mr Baillie on his hard-earned award, and wishes him and all at Hillend Farm the best in their future endeavours.

Supporters (32)

Source: the Scottish Parliament motions and amendments record.