Common Agricultural Policy (Cap) reform, the independence referendum and future tenancy legislation have dominated discussions on farms and crofts across the country this year.
2014, like most years, has had its highs and its lows, but the most common theme of the year was that of unanswered questions and confusion.
Big Joe
The main low of the year was the loss of one of Scottish agriculture’s greats.
In March, Press and Journal farming editor Joe Watson died at the age of 43. Big Joe was a well-known face across the north and north-east and not afraid to ask difficult questions of anyone, whether they be a sheep breeder from Caithness or the farming minister from UK ministry Defra.
I think I speak on behalf of the whole agricultural community when I say his presence is still very sorely missed.
Mixed fortunes
Weather-wise, 2014 has boasted mainly mild weather for farms up and down the country allowing good planting of spring crops and potatoes early on. Harvest kicked off early too, but the rain slowed it down for many, especially those in the north, with the arrival of Hurricane Bertha.
Despite this, the cereal harvest 2014 is thought to be the biggest in 20 years with 3.2million tonnes harvested from Scottish farms.
And it wasn’t just cereals that yielded well, potato growers have reported bumper yields leaving many with the near difficult task of finding a home for all their wares.
The dairy market has also felt the effects of favourable conditions with cows milking well, not just in Scotland and the UK but across the globe, resulting in a global price crash with farmgate prices a far cry away from what they were a year ago.
The beef market took a nosedive early on from the highs achieved following last year’s horse-meat scandal.
In a bid to regain some kind of control in the market and no doubt recoup costs, abattoirs have since tightened up their spec much to the annoyance of producers who say meat processors are not telling them what type of cattle they need in enough time.
For sheep producers, the early, mild spring made for a straightforward lambing for many.
The story of pigs and poultry in 2014 is very much one of opposites.
The Scottish broiler industry was more or less decimated following poultry giant 2 Sisters’ decision to end contracts for the majority of its growers.
NFU Scotland’s poultry committee chairman Bob Hay is one of 16 producers to have been axed by 2 Sisters in the past year.
In November he told the Press and Journal that the sector in the north and north-east was on the brink of collapse unless producers managed to persuade a new processor to invest in slaughtering facilities in Scotland.
Pig producers have been more fortunate with news that a newly formed co-operative of farmers had purchased the Brechin abattoir from AP Jess (Brechin). The co-operative, named QPL, comprises Scottish Pig Producers, Scotlean and Tulip.
It plans to kill around 8,000 pigs a week at the plant, which alongside the existing slaughtering capacity in Scotland, will see the number of pigs slaughtered in Scotland return to levels seen before the closure of Vion’s Hall’s of Broxburn plant in October 2012.
Political Punch and Judy
Scottish agri-politics has had a busy year.
The independence referendum saw politicians from both sides trying to woo farmers over to their camp.
And it could be argued that all this campaigning distracted our very own farm minister, Richard Lochhead, from nailing down the details of Common Agricultural Policy reform – farmers are still left with unanswered questions on the new policy six months after the minister announced his plans for the regime in the Scottish Parliament.
Prior to Mr Lochhead’s Cap reform announcement on June 11, NFU Scotland faced the difficult task of trying to establish a position which kept all of its members happy.
Many were left angry with its calls for a transition when moving from historic to area-based payments.
The union and government are now at loggerheads over the finer details of the new Cap regime, which kicks off in less than a week.
It wasn’t just Cap which dominated discussions and heated debates – the government-led Agricultural Holdings Legislation Review Group (AHLRG) has been busy quizzing tenants and landlords countrywide.
The contentious issue of whether or not secure tenants should be given the absolute right to buy (ARTB) the holding they are on has caused much friction between landlords and tenants, although the group has said they do not believe the concept would benefit the sector. The group was due to release its final report earlier this month but this has been pushed back to January.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed the findings of the review group will be encapsulated in new land reform legislation. Her land reform proposals have been branded as radical by many in the farming sphere – could ARTB be on the cards after all?
Proposals include increasing the Scottish Land Fund from £3million this year to £10million in 2016, and removing tax breaks for sporting estates. If implemented, they could change the make up of many rural communities across the north and north-east.
Other moments
Other memorable moments in 2014 include the sale of a Limousin maiden heifer for a whopping 125,000gn (£131,500) at Carlisle in August.
The sale set a new all breeds UK and European cattle record as well as the world record for the Limousin breed.
The January 2013-born heifer – Glenrock Illusion – from Mr and Mrs Stephen Illingworth, of Howgillside, Eaglesfield, sold to Mike and Melanie Alford, of Foxhill Farm, Cullompten, Devon.
Only a few days prior, a Texel ram lamb from Crieff sold for 145,000gn (£152,500) at Lanark.
The award for the most embarrassing moment in 2014 must go to supermarket giant Tesco which for some reason printed pictures of beef cows in an advert promoting four pints of milk for £1.
As a dairy farmer’s daughter, I doubt I’ll forget that one any time soon.