Farmers who grow malting barley for Simpsons Malt of Berwick-upon-Tweed are getting assistance from the firm to gain sustainability accreditation.
More than 400 of Simpsons’ farmer suppliers across Scotland and Northern England have already achieved a gold level through the Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) which has bronze, silver and gold tiers.
Simpsons say the accreditation means growers can demonstrate they use first class sustainable farming practices, while it helps provide them with secure market access to global companies that are interested in sustainable sourcing.
Simpsons commercial director Andy Hindhaugh said: “We’d like to acknowledge the efforts and co-operation of all our malting barley growers towards the FSA, the result of which will provide many benefits for them, including their alignment with a global industry benchmark for on-farm sustainability and continuous improvement.
“As for us, with our malting division continuing to grow overseas, it is important that our certifications are recognised on a global level, and FSA Gold does just that.
“It also shows our end user customers in the brewing, distilling and food industries that they are receiving 100% sustainable barley from our contracted growers, which is becoming ever more important to many of them as part of their own sustainability objectives.”
Simpsons, which completed the acquisition of W.N. Lindsay Ltd in January, said they would also be helping many of their new contracted growers of malting barley and wheat achieve FSA Gold standard.
Simpsons Malt now owns the grain stores of Gladsmuir in East Lothian (60,000 tonnes), Keith in Morayshire (65,000 tonnes), Stracathro in Angus (110,000 tonnes) and Sidlaw in Perthshire (20,000 tonnes).
Guy Moor, whose farm near Wooler was fully audited as part of the FSA assessment process, pointed out that all farmers are becoming increasingly aware of the need to adopt more sustainable practices.
