The North East Scotland Agriculture Advisory Group met on Wednesday 3 June 2026 to discuss environmental protection, erosion prevention, and the growth of a local gluten-free oat company. The group also addressed the urgent crisis facing pig farmers in the region.

Environmental Protection and Erosion Prevention

Shaun McLean from HBB Geo presented an overview of his company's work in environmental protection and erosion prevention. HBB Geo, established in 2010, initially focused on the landfill sector, supplying liners and capping systems. Over time, the business expanded to include covers for stockpiles, such as resilient salt piles at ports. A significant development was the investment in a pre-welded liner panel system in 2017, which offered a niche in the UK market by reducing on-site waste and installation time. In 2022, HBB Geo diversified into erosion control and hydroseeding, complementing their existing services. The company now employs 13 people and is experiencing its highest turnover to date.

HBB Geo's products are designed for various applications, including stormwater management, water harvesting, irrigation lagoons, invasive weed barriers, and stockpile covers to prevent leaching and pollution. Their erosion control products are used in the restoration of peatlands, motorway embankments, and riverbanks.

The company's erosion control solutions include coir geotextiles, coir matting, and coir logs, made from coconut husks imported from Sri Lanka and India. These are used in riverbank restoration, attenuation pond banks, and peatland restoration. While coir has a carbon footprint due to importation, it is currently one of the few viable alternatives, with trials of wool and hemp products being more expensive. Coir matting is fixed with pegs and can be vegetated by broadcasting seed or using hydroseeding. Coir logs are used in peatland restoration to create dams in gullies, which helps to re-wet the area and encourage sphagnum growth. They can also be used on riverbanks to prevent erosion.

The geosynthetic products division, the largest part of HBB Geo's business, supplies liners made from HDPE (high-density polyethylene) and LLDPE (low linear low-density polyethylene) for ponds, contaminated soil, digestate lagoons, invasive weed barriers, landfills, and stormwater management. Applications include liquid fertiliser bunds, sprayer bay washdowns, wildlife ponds, and stockpile covers for salt piles.

Hydroseeding, a method of applying water, seed, and mulch in a slurry, is used for vegetating areas like airport runways, golf courses, and haul roads where conventional seeding is difficult. It is a cost-effective method for seeding large areas quickly, with the mulch protecting the seed and retaining moisture.

HBB Geo works across various sectors, including agricultural land management, industrial brownfield development, invasive weed management, bulk material storage, and stormwater management. For agriculture, their products are used for erosion control, peatland restoration, and potentially for irrigation lagoons and firefighting reservoirs, with funding available through the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme. While not yet compulsory, lining liquid fertiliser bunds is considered best practice to prevent leaks. Digestate lagoons are also a growing area for HBB Geo, with potential payback within five to eight years for irrigation lagoons.

During the Q&A session, concerns were raised about the effectiveness of coir as a weed suppressant and the potential for microplastic pollution from geosynthetic materials. HBB Geo clarified that their application for invasive weed management involves creating contained cells rather than stopping the spread of weeds like giant hogweed, which are typically controlled by herbicides. Regarding microplastics, they stated that their materials are produced from virgin material and are tested, but they do not conduct monitoring for microplastic pollution.

Aberdeenshire's Gluten-Free Oat Company

Andrew Booth, co-founder of Oat Co Scotland, presented on his family's farming business and the development of their accredited gluten-free oat company. The Booth family has been farming for six generations, growing cereal crops, energy crops for an anaerobic digester (AD) plant, and now, gluten-free oats. Their vision is to maximise output while improving soil health, selling produce directly to end-users to reduce reliance on fluctuating commodity prices.

Oat Co Scotland is the only accredited gluten-free oat processor in Scotland. Oats are naturally gluten-free, but contamination is a key concern. The company ensures gluten-free status through a strict rotation system that excludes other cereal crops, dedicated machinery, and rigorous cleaning processes. They also employ precision farming techniques and conduct multiple independent crop inspections. To prevent contamination from wildlife, they inspect and rogue crops during the growing season and use traditional cultivation methods, avoiding glyphosate on their oats. They are also developing a blockchain-style app to record all information related to their gluten-free status.

Oat Co Scotland supplies Tesco throughout the UK and Southern Ireland with pure oats and is developing new products such as pots, sachets, and oat bars. They aim to achieve carbon-neutral status and are exploring using power from their AD plant to run the oat plant. The company's focus on provenance, with all oats grown within a seven to ten-mile radius, and their reduced carbon intensity due to the use of green fertiliser from the AD plant, are key selling points.

During the discussion, questions were raised about the premium for gluten-free oats, the company's carbon footprint, and the challenges of working with supermarkets. Andrew Booth explained that they aim for a steady price rather than a fluctuating premium and are working with Scottish Enterprise to quantify their carbon intensity. He also highlighted the importance of local provenance and the shortest possible supply chain.

Pig Farmer Crisis

Councillor Mark Findlater raised an urgent motion concerning the crisis facing pig farmers in the North East of Scotland. He highlighted that many pig farmers are facing bankruptcy due to escalating costs, with some sows costing around £1,000 per month. Councillor Findlater proposed writing a letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Rural Affairs to consider using the underspend from the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) to support pig producers who wish to remain in the sector.

The proposal generated significant discussion among the group. Councillors Ian Taylor and Peter Chapman expressed concerns about reallocating upland support funds to an arable area, questioning the source of funding. Councillor Chapman stated that using LFASS money for this purpose would be a no-go and suggested that the Cabinet Secretary should find alternative funding. Councillor Kathleen Robertson and Councillor Draeyk Van Der Horn felt they did not have enough information to make an informed decision and suggested inviting representatives from the pig sector to speak at a future meeting. Councillor Georgie echoed these sentiments, expressing discomfort in endorsing something without seeing the exact text and requesting more information.

David Greer, Northeast Regional Chair for NFU Scotland, confirmed the severity of the pig crisis, describing it as the worst in his members' memory. He endorsed the call for a strong letter but agreed that LFASS funds should not be diverted.

Ultimately, the group agreed to investigate further and gather more information. The Chair, Councillor Jeff Goodhall, and Keith White, Industry Support Executive, will compile a draft letter and circulate it to members for comment. They will also seek advice from Jamie Weirley, the national chair of the pig producers, to ensure the letter has maximum impact and addresses the concerns of the industry. The group also discussed the governance of the advisory group, with Councillor Robertson requesting clarification on its terms of reference.