Caithness and Carbon Markets with Ranald Angus

Ben meets Caithness based mixed farmer and Nuffield scholar Ranald Angus.

Episode Notes

Today we’re heading up to Thurso in Caithness on the northernmost coast of Scotland to meet mixed farmer and 2021 Nuffield scholar Ranald Angus. Ranald is a partner in his family’s mixed farm with beef, sheep, arable and forestry enterprises. His Nuffield focuses on carbon and his working project title is 'Bridging the carbon divide: marketing soil sequestered carbon for economic, agronomic and climatic regeneration'. 

 

About Ben

Ben Eagle is a freelance rural affairs and agricultural journalist and podcaster. He also produces podcasts for a number of other rural organisations. You can find out more at benjamineagle.co.uk 

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A-Plan Rural Insurance

This episode is sponsored by our primary sponsor A Plan Rural. 

 

Show References

Nuffield Farming Scholarships

Young Farmers

Pasture Pod

Pub Yields

Kite Podcast

 

Timestamps

00:27 Ben introduces the show.

01:25 Ranald comes in.

01:57 Ranald introduces Caithness - where is it and what is it like?

03:14 Farming in Caithness.

05:33 Context of the climate and harvesting in the north of Scotland.

07:20 Ranald's family has been farming in Caithness for several generations. He explains more. 

10:08 Sponsor message about A Plan Rural Insurance.

10:53 Ranald's life growing up on the farm. 

13:50 A farming upbringing is a good start in life.

15:00 Ranald's involvement with young farmers.

18.50 Ranald gets involved with the business...but he started with an engineering career.

20:50 Ranald's trip to New Zealand.

21:47 Ranald talks about the farm and the enterprises - sheep, beef, arable, forestry.

25:26 Why did Ranald want to do a Nuffield Scholarship?

28:40 Covid was the catalyst that made Ranald commit to doing a Nuffield. 

31:10 Carbon markets is now more accepted as being more mainstream as a practice.

32:27 Why carbon markets as a subject for his Nuffield?

33:58 What is Ranald's assessment of carbon market opportunities at the moment?

38:40 How long will a carbon offset be there? Challenges of the concept. 

41:40 The move towards a more microbial way of farming.

43:39 Sponsor message for A Plan Rural Insurance.

44:09 Are there any countries that are more established than others for carbon markets? Ranald talks about Germany. 

48:39 The wider agricultural context. A crossroads in farming. 

50:50 Ranald's message for the public.

52:30 Ranald's message to farmers.

54:25 Ranald podcast listens - Pasture Pod, Pub Yields, Kite Podcast. + a youtube 'addict'

56:00 How to engage with Ranald's Nuffield progress.

57:18 Ben rounds up the show.