NEWS scottish hill farming NEWS

SYBIL MACPHERSON Brackley Farm, Exodus threatens Dalmally and National Sheep Association vice- way of life in the hills president

Sheep farmers are continuing to leave ’s hills in their droves, Robbie Campbell Loch Treig Farm, according to latest statistics. Nancy Nicolson spends a day at a lamb Corrour sale on the west coast in a bid to gauge the mood and finds that it’s not just the stock that’s disappearing, it’s potentially a whole way of life

John MacPherson Balliemeanoch he tourists may gawp in the continuing decline in hill and to help. I need six people to gather Farm, Loch Awe wonder at the beauty of island agriculture had implications the high hirsels like Ben Bhailigan and Blackface Lochaber’s high, misty for biodiversity, landscape man- where it takes five to six hours to Sheep Breeders mountains, but for the agement and food security. assemble the flock and four hours Association Blackface sheep which The Argyllshire flockmasters to walk the sheep home.” president Tspend their lives grazing these steep who have held on to their sheep The dwindling pool of neigh- slopes and the mountain men who through the toughest times reflect bours to help with sheep work manage the flocks and know the in fearful tones about their future was the final straw for Robbie Angus MacFadyen hills in all their moods, it is a harsh, when they gather for seasonal Campbell who recently sold 1400 and Bute wet and unforgiving place. lamb sales at Dalmally mart, a ewes from remote Loch Treig farm Agricultural Forum The gradient is steep, the ter- small cluster of pens and a ring near Corrour. He started life as a chairman and NFU rain rough and the 120in of rain- on the outskirts of the Highland shepherd and worked his way into Scotland Regional fall the highest in the country. Yet village just north of . Prices a tenancy but couldn’t cope with Board member for generations these hills have have improved this season, but the years of depressed prices on symbolised a way of life for a re- only to levels many were enjoying top of the rigours of a hard, inac- silient breed of people and their 20 years ago when producers also cessible unit. Sheep producers are quitting wolves. But what about the moun- many would rather get out now and Bute Agricultural Forum and Jamie MacGregor equally hardy livestock who can had the advantages of better subsi- “There was no road in so we Lochaber’s misty mountains. tain men? We’re the endangered spe- than face the consequences of be- a member of NFU Scotland’s Local sheep farmer endure conditions which – by any dies and a decent wool cheque. had to walk the lambs the 17 cies now and once we and our sheep ing unable to match the numbers Regional Board, says that the im- and Conservative measure – are physically and eco- These men and women are not miles out, but I could handle that ageing farming population, and have all gone from these hard places they get back from the hills to the provement in prices is enough to Member of the nomically challenging. You don’t just sad to see the sheep come off lifestyle. Eventually, though, there while there are sons looking on we can never be reintroduced. ones they put out with electronic encourage him to continue, but Scottish farm here to make a fortune but the hills. The dispersals have had were no neighbours, no critical as their fathers sell, it tends to be “A whole network of stock tags,” says Sybil MacPherson. admits he has several other sourc- Parliament to subsist in a lifestyle that is based serious implications for the man- mass to share the gathering, so I as interested parties rather than production will vanish and when “EID is going to be a tragedy for es of income to subsidise his unit. on family tradition and a unique agement of their own flocks. had to end up paying eight men full-time partners in the business. food shortages really kick in, how this part of the world.” “When prices are high it is a good sense of belonging. Sybil MacPherson, vice-pres- £100 a day to help me. It’s not The president of the Blackface does the government imagine they Ironically, the recent rise in time to get out but it’s also a good But after generations of mini- ident of the National Sheep As- something you can sustain when Sheep Breeders Association, John will be able to bring back the expe- lamb prices appears only to be time to go in. But we need more wild flowers and butterflies will be mum change, there has been sociation Scotland, runs Brackley the prices don’t add up. These are MacPherson, a third generation rience and the livestock to these hastening the trend of ewe dis- help from our politicians. We replaced by tick-infested tundra. something akin to a revolution Farm on the outskirts of Dalmally. tough places and we’re resilient farmer in partnership with his hills? No university can teach you persals, with hill producers see- need a long-term view and guaran- And instead of there being a living taking place here since the turn It is stocked with 1200 Blackface people but its only the diehards brother on Balliemeanoch farm the skills to work in this landscape ing a window of opportunity to tees on support payments if we are culture of songs and stories, it will of the millennium. A decade of ewes on hills which extend to who are left now.” above Loch Awe, is a case in or provide the hefted sheep that get out. Mrs MacPherson, whose going to reinvest in this industry,” become history instead. And that poor sheep sector returns, an 4000 acres and rise to 2800ft, and The faces round Dalmally point. He has reduced his flock will survive on the land.” family has farmed at Brackley for he said. “We need to know what is will be a tragic loss.” ageing population and a lack of in the past 10 years 8000 breed- Mart’s ringside tell the story of an from 2200 to 1600 ewes in the Despair over EID is not unique 170 years, describes herself as one ahead of us post 2013.” The clock is ticking. On the day hope and confidence for the next ing sheep have been taken off the past five years despite having a to Lochaber but, for those whose of the lucky ones as she doesn’t It is undeniably the case that of the last Dalmally sale news was generation has taken its toll with neighbouring 50,000 acres. family which desperately wants to animals can roam over dozens have an overdraft or the financial Scotland’s stratified sheep indus- spreading that another two hill a wave of Highland Clearances “Land abandonment has be- continue the tradition. of square miles, the prospect of burdens of a tenanted farm. “But try needs the bedrock of produc- farmers had decided to sell their which has seen tens of thousands come a major problem because “The boys are aged 21 and 19 having to comply with the new if someone is approaching retire- tion in these areas and that the flocks. The diehards who are left of sheep sold from these hills and the sheep wander into the vast and have had to get jobs as a join- European rules is terrifying and ment age and the price is sud- lightweight lambs which leave are getting ever fewer. the remotest farms abandoned. areas of unstocked land, so get- er and an electrician because there is undoubtedly contributing to denly better than it has been for Lochaber do well once they reach Increased bureaucracy and the ting them gathered for routine is just not enough income from the flight from the hills. Produc- years and there is no guarantee of better soils and richer pastures. But spectre of electronic identification tasks becomes increasingly dif- the sheep. And stories like ours are ers refer to “black loss”, the 5-10% a future, it is perfectly understand- much more is at stake for these video on fwi... mean the exodus is far from over. ficult,” she says. “It also means going to have a massive knock-on of animals which disappear into able that they will want to grab the remote communities if the flocks Two independent reports in the there are fewer neighbours around impact on Scottish agriculture rivers or bogs and can never be ac- opportunity to get out,” she says. disappear from the hills. past 18 months have focused on in the years ahead because counted for in official returns. Not everyone agrees that all is Jamie MacGregor, another lo- the rapid reduction in sheep num- we just won’t have the ex- “People are nervous of being lost for sheep farming in these cal sheep farmer, is also a Conserv- bers in many areas of the north perienced people there to able to comply with the require- high hills of the west. Angus ative member of the Scottish Par- west by between 35% and 60%. work these hills.” ments of cross-compliance and MacFadyen, chairman of Argyll liament (MSP) and is concerned A Retreat from the Hills, a report He adds: “The Scot- that, if the sheep disappear, so from the Scottish Agricultural tish government is too will the rich biodiversity that College, described the potentially currently focused Q A whole network of stock production depends on sustainable grazing. negative consequences of this on introducing wild He believes the hills will revert to trend for the economic, social and animals and birds will vanish and when food shortages impenetrable scrub, making them See the video at www.fwi.co.uk/exodus and environmental sustainability of that were made ex- really kick in, how will the government less attractive to walkers and to the ❱❱ upland areas. And an inquiry by tinct by man. We’re tourists who travel here in their comment by email to the Royal Society of Edinburgh getting sea eagles and bring back the livestock to these hills? droves to admire the scenery and [email protected] or into the future of Scotland’s hills beavers and they’re talk- soak up the culture of the area. at www.fwi.co.uk/forums

d ringlan keith and upland areas concluded that ing about bringing back john macpherson, blackface sheep breeders association He adds: “The bird species, the

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