New Regional Advisor joins Monitor Farm Scotland programme

New Regional Advisor joins Monitor Farm Scotland programme

Monitor Farm Scotland is delighted to welcome Iona Smith, who joined the team on 22 August as a Regional Advisor.

Iona brings a wealth of experience to the role. Most recently, she worked with Blackhall & Powis as a Graduate Land Manager where she was involved in numerous onshore and offshore renewable projects all over the country. She was brought up on a pedigree beef and sheep farm in Turnberry, South Ayrshire and went on to complete an Honours Degree in Rural Business Management at SRUC Edinburgh. Alongside her professional work, Iona is also the current Chair of Women in Agriculture Scotland, and this October is leading the UK team to the World Hereford Conference in Kansas City, America which demonstrates her commitment and passion for the farming sector.

In her new role, Iona will be supporting the Dumfriesshire, East Lothian and Roxburghshire Monitor Farms, taking on the cluster previously covered by Maura Wilson, who is moving on after three years in the role.

Iona Smith, added: “I am pleased to join the Monitor Farm Scotland programme; it's a real honour to be part of such a prestigious team supporting producers. With a strong commitment to the agricultural community and my full life being centred around this amazing industry, I look forward to contributing to the success of the Monitor Farm Scotland initiative. Together, we can drive progress and ensure the continued excellence of our farming practices."

Grace Reid, Monitor Farm Programme Manager (Maternity Cover), added: “We are really pleased to welcome Iona into the team as we head into the final year of the current four year programme. I’d like to thank Maura for her fantastic contributions so far and the support she has given to the farms in her cluster. We wish her all the best for the future.”

Reflecting on her time with Monitor Farm Scotland, Maura said: “Seeing everyone grow in confidence and become more open has been a highlight of this role. They’re more willing to challenge issues, adopt innovation and have meaningful conversations. I’m hopeful the farmers involved now will continue to embrace change and improvements.”

For the latest updates, follow @MonitorFarmScotland on social media or visit www.monitorfarmscotland.co.uk.