SRUC farms supervisor receives RABDF Princess Royal award

Hugh McClymount has been offered with the Royal Affiliation of British Dairy Farmers’ (RABDF) Princess Royal award.

The lately retired analysis supervisor for Scotland’s Rural Faculty’s (SRUC) farms was offered with the award by Anne, The Princess Royal, in a ceremony at Gatcombe Park earlier right this moment (Monday, September 11).

The Princess Royal award goals to reward somebody who has had an excellent contribution to the dairy sector all through their life.

The Princess Royal award is run by the RABDF and has been offered to business influencers every year since its institution in 1991.

Hugh McClymount

McClymount was born and grew up in southwest Scotland in a dairy farming household.

He gained a diploma in agriculture on the West of Scotland Agricultural Faculty (now the SRUC), regardless of having had little curiosity in dairying earlier than this.

He went on to safe the place of herdsman at SRUC Crichton Royal and, from right here, he labored his manner up the ladder on the SRUC to the place of analysis farm supervisor.

The RABDF stated McClymount is understood for his many roles and positions all through the business which embrace:

• Chair, and now incumbent secretary, of 1000 Cow Membership;
• Chair of RHET Dumfries & Galloway Countryside Initiative (Royal Highland Schooling Belief);
• Chair (and solely Scottish individual to carry the place) of the Maize Growers Affiliation;
• Chair of the South West Scotland Grassland Society.

RABDF council member, Willie Whiteford, stated McClymount is at all times aware of what’s occurring within the dairy business and is on the forefront in the case of educating most of the people on the place their meals comes from by open days at Crichton.

“One of many biggest achievements relating to Hugh and his profession is the very fact he began off from humble beginnings – beginning out as a herdsman to main one of many largest establishments in dairy is not any imply feat,” Whiteford stated.

Younger folks in dairy

Along with the analysis programmes he managed, McClymount was obsessed with encouraging younger folks into the business, one thing mirrored in his board place of RHET.

Over his profession he has guided numerous people into the business, serving to them achieve the related sensible expertise they wanted to progress their careers, RABDF stated.

“While I’ve helped many younger folks through the years, I consider two of my largest success tales come within the type of my youngsters, with my son managing a farm property South of Edinburgh and my daughter a dairy guide for Kite Consulting,” he stated.

McClymount labored alongside Ark Veterinary Centre on a calf membership initiative the place he shared information to enhance youngstock rearing.

As a part of this he showcased the farm’s calf housing adjustments – the place calves have been initially housed in particular person igloos earlier than progressing to bigger open igloos in greater teams.

He carried out an enormous quantity of analysis into this mission and its advantages to the purpose the place it was a mannequin for others to carbon copy.