They will focus on the dairy and high nature value sectors. The
Dairy Group will be chaired by Jackie McCreery, Director of the
Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland and the
Royal Highland Educational Trust, with the Hill, Upland and
Crofting Group (HUCG) being co-chaired by Martin Kennedy, Vice
President of NFUS and Joyce Campbell, chair of Women in
Agriculture taskforce.
The formation of these groups brings the total number of
farmer-led climate groups to five, following on from the
Industry led Pig Sector group, the Arable sector group, which
met for the first time in December and the Suckler Beef Climate
Group which has already published recommendations and a
separate programme board has now been set up to take these
forward.
Rural Economy Secretary said:
“I am pleased to be announcing the chairs of the new Dairy
Group and HUCG. Setting up these groups is a Programme for
Government commitment and they will help to reduce emissions
and tackling climate change, which has long been a priority for
Scotland, shown in our world-leading, ambitious targets.
“I look forward to working closely alongside the new chairs of
the groups. Martin Kennedy, himself a tenant farmer, brings a
wealth of experience and leadership to the role and will
co-chair the HUCG, alongside Joyce Campbell, a knowledgeable
crofter with vast experience of teaching others. Jackie
McCreery, a partner in a dairy and arable farm, will chair the
Dairy Group. Her rural background and extensive knowledge will
be hugely beneficial. All three chairs will relish the
opportunity to work together and identify practical solutions
to meet our goals. I look forward to seeing their outputs in
the near future.
“We know there is a lot of work to be done, work will begin
right away as we come together to develop a strategy to reach
our ambitious targets.”
Background
Climate Change Plan
2018-2032 – update
Farmer-led groups to
tackle climate change
Martin Kennedy is a tenant farmer in Highland Perthshire. He
served two years as Highland Perthshire branch chairman, before
representing East Central region on the LFA committee in 2009.
Martin then went on to be vice chairman then chaired the
committee for three years.
Joyce Campbell runs a family-run hill farm on the north coast
of Sutherland. Joyce was awarded the Associate of the Royal
Agricultural Societies (ARAgS) in January 2017, in recognition
of her distinguished achievement in agriculture.
Jackie McCreery is a partner in the McCreery family dairy and
arable farm in East Lothian She and her husband, Simon, also
run an on-farm processing dairy. Jackie is a Director of the
Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland and the
Royal Highland Educational Trust.
