Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Beef and Sheep Consultant Kirsten Williams. On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by farmers Craig and Claire Grant who run a mixed farming enterprise across 1,300 acres arable and 400 acres grass (owned and rented) along with their team of 20 full and part time employees. The business has poultry across five sites with a total of 225,000 laying hens, in addition to 330 bulling heifers that are sold privately with high health off farm to producers throughout Scotland. Craig and Claire regularly engage with the public, sharing information about where food comes from.

Episode Timestamps

00.35 Introducing Craig and Claire Grant

04.30 Business components, systems and staff

07.44 Finding and retaining labour

11.20 Enriched colonies and free-range birds

14.50 Egg markets and Kindrought Egg Hoosie

19.03 Cooperation in farming

21.37 Audits

23.47 Cattle: marketing on farm, scoring charts, high health, certification packages

32.10 Buying young stock

35.57 Building relationships and trust

37.05 An award-winning business (Young Farmer of the Year, Mixed Farm of the Year, Overall Farm of the Year)

FAS Resources

Contract Farming Agreements Explained | Farm Advisory Service

Business planning and financial management: An introduction | Farm Advisory Service

Other Resources

C J Grant | Facebook

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Email: advice@fas.scot