Events to look out for

Monday 1st April - Ring 1, 11am start

C & D Auction Marts Ltd - Dumfries Mart, Huntingdon Road, Dumfries, DG1 1NF. Special Spring Sale Organic Store Cattle.

180 Organic store cattle forward for sale, inc. Dumfries House Home Farm, Woolfords, & Kirwaugh.

‍

For all enquires contact auctioneer Harry Begg on 07713 569 593, or the Mart Office on 01387 279495.  Alternatively email dumfries@cdauctionmarts.co.uk.

For additional C&D sale information click here.  

‍

Friday 12th April - Ring 2, 10.00am start (unless otherwise advertised)

Aberdeen & Northern Marts - Thainstone Centre, Inverurie, AB51 5XZ.  Sale incorporating Organic Store Cattle.  Online bidding also available to purchasers.

‍

Entries close Monday 8th April at 9am.

For all enquiries or to book entries contact Rachael Reid on 01467 623 707 or email Rachael.Reid@anmgroup.co.uk.

For more information see ANM website here.

‍

Monday 15th April

C & D Auction Marts Ltd - Dumfries Mart

Second Organic Store Cattle Sale for Spring 2024.

For all enquires contact auctioneer Harry Begg on 07713 569 593, or the Mart Office on 01387 279495.  Alternatively email here.

‍

C & D Auction Marts Ltd - Dumfries Mart and ANM - Thainstone Mart are both certified to the SOPA Auction Mart Standards to sell Organic Cattle & Sheep.  If you wish to sell organic stock through the ring get in contact with their auctioneers.

The below auction marts are holding their annual Autumn Sales of Organic Store Cattle as follows:

‍

Friday 29th September, 10.00am start

Aberdeen & Northern Marts - Thainstone Centre, Inverurie, AB51 5XZ.

Entries close Monday 25th September at 9am.

Online bidding also available to purchasers.

For all enquiries or to book entries contact David Hay on 01467 623 706 or email.

For more information see ANM website.

‍

Monday 2nd October, 11am Start

Special Autumn Sale of Organic Cattle at C & D Auction Marts Ltd - Dumfries Mart, Huntingdon Road, Dumfries, DG1 1NF.  

Entries close Thursday 28th September.

For all enquires and to book entries contact auctioneer Harry Begg on 07713 569 593 or the Mart Office 01387 279495, alternatively email.

For additional C&D sale information click here.

‍

C & D Auction Marts Ltd - Dumfries Mart and ANM - Thainstone Mart are all certified to the SOPA Auction Mart Standards to sell Organic Cattle & Sheep.  If you wish to sell organic stock through the ring get in contact with their auctioneers.

‍

Note to Sellers: Please remember to include the necessary paperwork, which includes a completed Livestock Transfer Document (SOPA Record Sheet 15 available in the downloads section) & valid organic certificate as well as all other statutory documentation.

Farm Walk, in conjunction with AHDB Scotland as part of the Scottish Organic Cereals Grower Network

1.30pm 9th June 2023

By kind permission of JS Baird and Sons, Scotston Farm, Auchterhouse, Dundee

Scotston Farm is 480ha (180ha moorland) farmed by three Baird brothers Diarmid, Dougal and Ewan, and has been organic since 1988.  2023 crops include spring oats, winter wheat, winter rye, triticale, oil seed rape and grass for suckler cows, sheep and laying hens also on the farm.  Novel crops being grown in 2023: rye, triticale, lentils, plus a four-way multispecies crop on trial in conjunction with Hutton Institute. Pete Ianetta Head of Ecological Food Systems at The Hutton is leading the research on the four-crop trial and will join us for the farm walk to explain what the trial is looking to achieve and why it is important for agriculture.  The four crops are lentils, wheat, peas and beans, so imagine the challenge of working out seed rate, co-ordinating harvest time and crop separation.

Special emphasis is given to grow crops to develop a home-grown high protein hen feed to reduce the reliance on imported feeds and avoid imported soya in the layers ration.

The farm is heated and powered by a wood chip gasifier that runs the grain drier and pullet rearing sheds.

On display will be the shallow plough and demonstrations of the camera-guided weeder and compost windrowing (weather dependent).  Strict biosecurity will be observed with regard to livestock and laying hens in particular.  

Open to all organic farmers and those considering converting to organic farming.

A BBQ will be held after the farm walk.

Registration is essential - click here

‍

The Road Ahead for Scottish Organics is a one-day national conference where delegates will hear from expert speakers that have a vast range of knowledge in Organic food and farming, soil, cropping, meat and milk production, plus wider views on future developments and policy frameworks.

We will hear from business owners, industry experts, and people working at the front of industry and government organisations.

With plenty of networking opportunities, this full day will bring new connections, new inspiration and confidence to take away new ideas that are relevant to you and your business so that, together, we can take solid steps forward in making our sector grow and thrive.

Whether you have been running an Organic enterprise for many years or starting an organic food business, this event will inspire fresh ideas, look at issues head on and pave the way for Organics as the most sustainable way ahead for Scottish food and farming.

‍

To read more about the conference or to book tickets follow this link - https://mailchi.mp/9cc7135cee1b/theroadaheadforscottishorganics

‍

The below auction marts are holding their annual Spring Sales of Organic Store Cattle as follows:

‍

Monday 3rd April 2023, 11am

C & D Auction Marts Ltd - Dumfries Mart, Huntington Road, Dumfries, DG11NF.

Entries close Thursday the 30th March.

For all enquiries and to book entries contact auctioneer Harry Begg on 01387279495 or 07713 569593, alternatively email. For additional C&D sale information click here.

‍

Friday 14th April, 9:30am

Aberdeen & Northern Marts - Thainstone Centre, Inverurie, AB51 5XZ.

Entries close Monday the 10th April.

Online bidding also available to purchasers. For all enquiries or to book entries contact David Hay on 01467 623 706 or email. Additional ANM sale information can be found here.

‍

C & D Auction Marts Ltd - Dumfries Mart and ANM - Thainstone Mart are all certified to the SOPA Auction Mart Standards to sell Organic Cattle & Sheep.  If you wish to sell organic stock through the ring get in contact with their auctioneers.

We have two events coming up for all organic growers in Scotland.

22nd February 2023

On farm meeting hosted by Angus McDowall, Mungoswells, Drem, East Lothian, EH39 5AT

At this meeting we will look at Angus McDowall’s on-farm flour mill enterprise, and how Angus has developed and grown wheats for processing and marketing specialist home-grown flours.

12.30pm ~ Meet and informal lunch

1.15pm ~ Welcome and Introductions

1.30pm ~ Tour of Mill and Maltings

2.45pm ~ Q&A/Chat over a cup of tea/coffee

3.30pm ~ Home-time

Click here to RSVP for catering please

‍

1^st March 2023, 12.30pm-2pm

ONLINE WEBINAR

Soil Sampling for Spring Cropping in Organic Systems

With Hannah Shirt and Jon Telfer(Yara/Lancrop)

Teams Registration required ~ click here

‍

These meetings are open to all organic growers of cereals and combinable crops in Scotland.

All queries to Debs Roberts  M: 077 33 22 8701

Or

Adrian James AHDB Scotland  M: 07771 798 552

‍

‍

The Organic Cereals Network is run by AHDB and SOPA, and is open to all organic growers in Scotland. Attendance is free, but please RSVP.

Run by the Farm Advisory Service this Virtual Farm Tour will be hosted by Stuart Mitchell at Whitriggs Farm.

There will be plenty to see and discuss. In 2016 he replaced his ewe flock with deer which he now runs alongside his organic beef and arable farm. Restructuring the business has greatly improved efficiency and reduced labour requirements. He grazes his cereals in the winter and outwinters the cattle incorporating bale and mob grazing on the hill. Come along and see and hear how he does it. Hear what his highs and lows have been, the challenges and lessons learnt.
Whitriggs is a mixed organic farm in the Borders. It has been shortlisted in the Farmers Weekly Awards 2022 under the mixed farm category and was a Borders Monitor Farm. The business is run by Stuart, his wife and parents. They finished conversion in August and farm a total of 442 ha. 50 hectares of which are cereals (35 ha winter oats and 15 ha spring barley). There are 350 red deer and 140 Shorthorn and Angus suckler cows.

To sign up please follow this link: https://www.fas.scot/events/event/organic-virtual-farm-tour-webinar/

Members are invited to join us for our Orkney SOPA Member Gathering in Kirkwall on Wednesday 5th October, 2022.

‍

10.30am for tea & coffee on arrival for 11am start at The Albert Hotel.

‍

This is an ideal opportunity to meet other organic producers and processors in your area.  Plus, this invite also extends to SOPA Members from Shetland & Caithness, and beyond if others wish to travel. Likewise, if you are aware of a neighbour who is considering converting to organic production they are welcome to come along too.

Staff from the SOPA Member Services team will be attending and are looking forward to meeting with you all and chatting face to face.

‍

This event is free to all SOPA Members to attend and the gathering will conclude with a light lunch.

‍

Please RSVP by Monday 3rd October or for further information please contact Joanna, SOPA Member Services, here or call 0300 772 9795.

‍

The organic sector is growing, so this is also an important way to meet new Members and share experiences.

‍

There will also be some time after the meeting if you wish to discuss your individual farm circumstances with the SOPA Team in confidence.

‍

Hope to see you there.

The below auction marts are holding their annual Spring Sales of Organic Store Cattle as follows:

‍

Monday 4th April, 2022, 11am

C & D Auction Marts Ltd - Dumfries Mart, Huntington Road, Dumfries, DG11NF

For all enquiries and to book entries contact auctioneer Harry Begg on 01387279495 or 07713 569593, alternatively email dumfries@cdauctionmarts.co.uk. For more information see Dumfries Mart website.
‍

Friday 15th April, 2022

Aberdeen & Northern Marts - Thainstone Centre, Inverurie, AB51 5XZ.

Entries for Organic Cattle close Monday 11th April at 9am. Online bidding also available to purchasers. For all enquiries to book entries contact David Hay on 01467 623 706 or email David.Hay@anmgroup.co.uk. For more information see ANM website.

‍

‍Monday 18th April 2022

Caledonian Marts - Stirling Auction Centre, Millhall, Stirling, FK7 7LS

To book entries or for any queries contact Oliver Shearman on 07730 046252 or email oliver.shearman@caledonian-marts.com.  Or you can contact the main mart office on 01786 450922.

‍

C & D Auction Marts Ltd - Dumfries Mart, ANM - Thainstone Mart, UA - Huntly Mart & Caley Mart - Stirling Mart are all certified to the SOPA Auction Mart Standards to sell Organic Cattle & Sheep.  If you wish to sell organic stock through the ring get in contact with their auctioneers.

‍

If you plan to attend a sale the latest Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland (IAAS) COVID-19 Guidance click here.  Plus, individual auction marts may operate site specific additional restrictions and guidance.

AgriScot will take place on 16 November 2022.

Please register now via our Fastrac Visitor Registrationpage for up to date news and entry to the event.
www.agriscot.co.uk/registration/