New marketing group to benefit on Scottish/English border

The group, thought to be the first new livestock co-op to be formed in over 20 years has been established under the umbrella of Farm Stock (Scotland) Ltd, Scotland’s largest livestock marketing co-op with an annual turnover of over £13 million.

Border Counties Primestock Ltd, the new group, will be owned by its farmer members, and run for their advantage, providing an independent, low cost and effective livestock marketing service for all classes of sheep and cattle.

The area covered by the group will include East Dumfriesshire, Cumbria and Northumberland.

Farm Stock (Scotland) Ltd’s chairman Ian Watson commented on the formation of the new group: “We’re delighted to announce the launch of Border Counties Primestock Ltd, which will become the sixth group shareholder in Farm Stock. It’s a positive step forward for us, and for the industry as a whole – groups like this can be offer a huge benefit to farmers in the area in terms of livestock marketing and that can only be a good thing.”

Mr Watson continued: “The new group will be looked after by dedicated fieldsman and Farm Stock employee, Guy Old, who has many years’ practical experience both handling stock on farm and in dealing with livestock producers.

“I am also grateful to the founder members of Border Counties Primestock Ltd, who will act as the initial directors until the first AGM: Stewart Pullin of Castlemilk Estates, Lockerbie, Tim McGarva of Barwhanny Farm, Whauphill, and Thomas Hunter of Upper Brydekirk Farm, Annan.”

Farm Stock (Scotland) Ltd, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, now serves over well 1,000 farmers covering the whole of southern and central Scotland and up into Perthshire and Stirlingshire.

Since 1996 over three million prime and store lambs and 100,000 cattle have been marketed by Farm Stock, which prides itself on achieving the best possible price for farmer members on any given day.

The co-op has a total of nine field staff to expertly select stock on-farm throughout its’ trading area, supported by the admin team in the office near Galashiels.

Guy Old the Farm Stock Fieldsman for the new group added: “I’m excited to be taking on this new challenge, and I look forward to working with the farmers and my fellow group members to make Border Counties Primestock a great success.”