One of NFU Scotland’s highest accolades, the prestigious Miskelly award, has this year been awarded to Argyll farmer, David Colthart, for his service and dedication to farming and crofting in the region. Over the years, David has been a Lorn Branch Chair twice and Argyll & Islands Regional Board Member. David has hosted numerous farm visits, including those for Scottish Government Ministers.
Winning the Miskelly award, presented by President Andrew Connon at NFU Scotland’s annual dinner in Glasgow (Thursday 6 February), gives national recognition to David’s incredible contribution to fellow farmers and crofters.
David has worked tirelessly for NFU Scotland on sea eagles, serving as a driving force behind the local groups and the Sea Eagle Stakeholder Panel. He has proved instrumental in securing recognition from NatureScot and the Scottish Government of the damage caused by these birds. As chair of the Argyll stakeholder panel and member of the national panel, he has tenaciously and successfully lobbied for improvements to the Sea Eagle Management Scheme and been involved in the design of recent developments and uplift in payments.
At home, David runs a diversified hill farm based on a tenanted farm at Appin with croft land nearby. He is heavily involved in renewables with interests in wind turbines and hydro. He consistently creates opportunities for young people in the area to get involved in farming and crofting, and there are always young people involved in whatever David is working on. David is heavily involved in the community as a long serving member of the local community fire station, amongst many other things. He is also a very active director of the farmer owned Oban Livestock Centre.
The Miskelly Award was established in memory of John Miskelly, an inspirational staff member with the Union and was presented by John’s family following his death in 2006. Now being presented for the seventeenth time, the trophy recognises those who have shown outstanding dedication and commitment to NFU Scotland and Scottish farming and crofting.