Jenna Ballantyne shines as this week's Woman in Agriculture

Born and brought up as a farmer’s daughter with a true passion for agriculture, Jenna opened up to Kathryn Dick about her career to date and who she admires most within the industry:

Background?

I’m a fourth generation farmer’s daughter from East Cauldcoats Farm, Strathaven where we’re farming approximately 260 acres across two beef and sheep units. Predominately farming Simmental cross cattle for the store ring, the farms run around 150 commercial sheep and 65 pure Texel and Beltex, alongside the cattle we also run a small herd of pedigree Simmentals (all under the Roadend prefix), retaining females for further breeding whilst the bulls and tups are sold for breeding or fattening.

My parents took over in January, 2000, after the passing of my late grandfather and recently I joined the partnership. I undertake the accountancy side and any pedigree paperwork, whilst mum completes cattle/sheep recordings.

I hope to take over at some point, but for now dad farms away at his pace with livestock haulage jobs most weeks, after a double by-pass last May and has been letting me loose a bit more on machinery – which will always be a learning curve.

What does your job entail?

I have been employed with Lawrie and Symington Ltd now approaching 18 years based in the Lanark Office, with the odd trip to Forfar and off-site sales. My main role is Pedigree Sheep Assistant but undertake in most aspects of the business including general office duties, sales clerking, and assisting with online implement and pedigree sheep sales.

Pre-Brexit, I was involved with the import and export licences for the pedigree sheep – liaising with vendors, local vets and hauliers for the sheep due to be exported to Northern Ireland from the famous ‘Lanark draft ewe and gimmer sale’ the month following the sale. One job that had to run with military precision and not a pen mark out of place! Two artic with some 500-700 blackface sheep could be on board some years!

Job satisfaction?

Within work, seeing a customer smile and grateful for the work that has went in to making a sale ‘a sale’ and knowing that your helped along the way and tried your best. Having never been in further education until 2019, what knowledge I know is my own doing – times have been challenging since joining the firm in September 2004, but I truthfully would not change the way I came into the job and certainly have benefitted from on-site training and being able to help and advise customers over the years.

Auction sales don’t just happen overnight, some sales have weeks and months of preparation to gather and collate. Even right now, and we are only in February, I am busy preparing for the pedigree sale season ahead.

At home, breeding an animal that will take you through show season for that incoming year, and hopefully many more after it – rosette or no rosette, in my eyes they will always be a winner. Then the prospect of that animal’s future in the flock/herd and creating family genepools which can be traced back for generations to come.

What first made you want to work within this sector?

Growing up and being involved from a young age, farming was in the blood. Although I live for my livestock, it is sheep where my passion lies whether pedigree or commercially, and although by end of lambing I am usually scunnered, it is my favourite time of the year. Mum assures me from a young age that anytime I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, I said I was going to work in a market! As the years went on, it progressed to an auctioneer.

I first got my foot on the auction mart ladder during school work experience, where I attended local mart at the time, LS Smellie and Sons, landing myself a Saturday job at the store cattle sales dealing with passports and helping customers. From here I followed suit of some of the Smellies staff when Lawrie and Symington took over the mart side and again managed the odd day here and there whilst still at school.

Upon leaving school, I secured myself some store cattle sale days during the summer at United Auctions, Stirling mart before being offered a full-time role. After a short period I was offered a full-time role with L&S where I have been employed since.

Biggest disappointment?

Not being given the opportunity to sit my Auctioneering Exams at a younger age and perusing an auctioneering career. Being one of the mature students in the group, it has been a great opportunity to meet like-minded people and I am very grateful for the opportunity to finally study the Livestock Market Operations and Management course.

Sadly Covid-19 also took guard of this course, with the full thing being postponed for 18 months, so instead of moving into my final year, alongside fellow employee Amy Haddow, we are both just moving into third year after having passed our exams, and are now A.I.A. (Scot) with IAAS.

Most influential person?

My late grandfather – George Donald Meikle and his famous bunnet! For those that had the pleasure of knowing him, he was a true gentleman and good businessman. If you annoyed him, stand clear as the bunnet was spun about the head. I must also add my parents, Marion and George, and part-time employee – Davy Bell – who all have let me have my youth and young farmer days, but now it’s time to grow up, be an adult, come home and farm for the future!

Biggest achievement?

Finally getting the opportunity to sit the Auctioneering Exams and getting letters after my name! Also being placed, out of a huge class of around 50 entries, last in the short-lead at the 2011 Royal Highland Show with my home-bred Texel tup lamb – Roadend Tarzan. He was later entered into the Scottish National Texel Show and Sale held at Lanark and went on to sell for 600gns to Mark Keighley of the Manderlea flock.

Favourite type of livestock?

Sheep and pedigree livestock in general! I established my Texel flock in 2006 and added the Beltex in 2010. I have a Beltex ewe – Roadend Dufflecoat – which was shown every year from a lamb and she's certainly a character, but the type of lass who you can sit down beside and tell your worries too. Then there is Roadend Heidi, my Simmental – she will push her way through the herd to come and see you, lick your sleeve but she loves a selfie!

I also have a secret liking for Galloways. There is something satisfying about getting their coats blown up the right way and their tails fluffed out at shows and sales. I help Joe Cockburn with his Trolossé herd, now based in Fife.

Main problems in the industry?

Brexit – not enough information was readily available for the changes coming in to play and everything all seemed very rushed in my opinion at the end of 2020. It has certainly been an uphill struggle for all industries with lack of government support - farming and agriculture have certainly suffered. Breeding trade took a tumble during 2021 and many breeds suffered hard at the fall of this. Importing and exporting livestock almost ceased until some of the restrictions were lifted, but it now looks like small windows are slowly opening up to allow more import/export livestock trading to the sector.

Veganism. Everyone is entitled to their beliefs, and I for one fully respect what folks believe in but it is damaging to the meat industry. The British meat industry employees have been seen as ‘key workers’ during the Covid-19 pandemic and part of the 'Feed the Nation' campaign. Speaking to a butcher friend, he said business boomed during 2020 and is still maintaining similar levels of trade today. This goes to show the consumer – the housewife – is still supporting the farming industry.

Another profession you would've gone into?

I had been accepted at Bell College in Hamilton back in 2004 to study Accountancy and become a number cruncher for the rest of my days. I was given an opportunity of employment and never looked back, further education isn’t for everyone but life skills are needed and I’m so glad to have chosen this route. Through work, I learned to use SAGE as part of my daily job which through the basics have taught me to organise the farm accounts into a manageable and easy system.

Another Women in Ag you admire?

From an auctioneering side, Primrose Beaton.I have known her from a young girl and looked up to her and where she has got herself today within the industry. A lady who has worked hard to make her voice heard in a man’s world. Another would be Heather Pritchard who has a huge knowledge and following within the Pedigree Cattle and Sheep Sectors.

In farming press, Patsy Hunter – what and who this lady does not know, is not worth writing on the back of a postage stamp. There are also some breed societies who need a quick mention, most of which are led and managed by women – Aileen McFadzean (Blackface Sheep Breeders Association), Ailish Ross and Gil Burton (Texel Sheep Society), Barbara Huddleston and Kayley Kennedy (Beltex Sheep Society) and Helen Carr-Smith (Bluefaced Leicester Sheep Society) – whom I work closely with personally and business related – these characters, like many others, are not recognised for the amount of work they do for their respective breeds and all deserve more credit than they are given.

Two names who have certainly overcome this man’s world stigma is Jen Craig and Sarah Millar. Jen and Sarah are certainly two characters who have tackled the hurdle and now lead difference organisations with the farming sector. Jen is current NSA Scotland Chairperson and Sarah has recently been appointed as QMS Chief Executive!

Have you felt that you've encouraged others to follow in your footsteps?

I am recognised for being one of the familiar faces of Lawrie and Symington, as well as within the farming and pedigree sheep community. Having previously been asked to write press articles and blogs on a certain subject, I hope that my spell of depression and being so open and honest about it all has helped others to either admit to themselves and/or to others – and more latterly – BREAKING THE STIGMA!

At home, we joined RSABI as a business supporter – a farming charity who are there to help no matter how small, big or silly your problem is. It doesn’t even need to be depression but after the help and support I received following my illness within the industry, it was nice to be able to give something back to try and help support others.

Involved in any other organisations?

Relaxing to me is attending an agricultural show, bull sales, or a pedigree sheep sale where I can be part of the crowd and be one of the auld dears who sit up the back and fills in a catalogue.

I am Secretary/Treasurer for Lanark and Peebles Blackface Sheep Breeders Association, Secretary of Lanarkshire Holstein Club; committee member of Strathaven Agricultural Exposition, Avon and Nethan NFU Regional representative at Forth and Clyde Region, and club leader of Avondale and District YFC.

Advice would you give?

Put your body armour on, roll up your sleeves, hold your head up and put your best foot forward! In other words, get on with it and go for it – you only live once.