Top prize for farm specialist

Gillian Inman, who grew up in Waterbeck and now lives in Perthshire, was last week presented with the RC Stewart Prize for effort and excellence in calculating Scottish farming’s carbon footprint.
The 39-year-old is a specialist with the SAC and has been praised for developing their AgReCalc © online carbon calculator and associated training packages, which have been recognised as the only one permitted for use within the Scottish Government’s Farm Advisory Service (FAS).
Former Lockerbie Academy student Gillian was honoured at the SRUC’s graduation ceremony in Bute Hall, Glasgow.
She said: “I am delighted to have received The RC Stewart Prize and for my work in developing AgRE Calc© to be recognised.
“Climate change is high on the Scottish Government’s agenda so having tools available that farmers can readily use to monitor the production of emissions and aid improved efficiency are important.”
Congratulating her, Mike Wijnberg, head of SAC Consulting, said: “Through her hard work and determination she ensured the delivery of SAC’s AgReCalc © online carbon calculator and its associated training packages, on time and to a very high standard.”
Under FAS, 250 farm businesses a year can receive a complete carbon audit and mitigation plan.
The first stage in the process is undertaking a baseline carbon and resource use assessment to identify the quantity of greenhouse gas emissions routine farm activities produce, highlighting areas where changes can be implemented to reduce emissions.
The three main greenhouse gases produced from agriculture are carbon dioxide, produced by burning fossil fuels; methane, produced as a natural by-product of animal digestion and; nitrous oxide which is released from soils following the application of nitrogen fertiliser (manufactured and organic) and soil disturbance like ploughing.