Livestock farmers have a Big opportunity

Livestock farmers from all over Scotland are being invited to join local business improvement groups (Big) with a view to improving their competitive performance as well as allowing them opportunities to collaborate and exchange information.

Some 22 Bigs will be set up across the country allowing around 350 livestock farmers to join a local group involving up to 18 businesses.

The project will be managed by Quality Meat Scotland with some 380,000 funding from Scottish Government through the Skills Development Scheme.

Progressive commercial livestock farmers are being invited to take part in the inaugural groups.

These farmers will have a "willingness to be open and honest with group members as well as being committed to taking an active role over the three year term of the group".

According to Peter Beattie, QMS technical projects manager, the sharp focus of the project will be business improvement of livestock enterprises.

"Many participants will already be excellent technical operators who are involved in livestock or machinery groups" said Beattie.

"What the business improvement groups will do is give a rare opportunity to look at how a farm functions as a business.

"Group members will have a wide range of skills and experience in running their businesses and we anticipate a minority will have some formal business qualifications."

Each area will have a co-ordinator to help run the group and keep the focus on issues that will sharpen the business edge of those taking part.