Meet the Consultant 鈥� Alastair Beattie
Hi,听I鈥檓听Alastair Beattie, a Senior Agricultural Consultant听based at the SAC Consulting office听in听Dumfries.听I have been based at听Barony since 2021, however, my career journey with SAC听Consulting听goes back much, much further, having now been employed with听SAC听for 29 years.听I grew up on a beef and sheep farm near Annan, Dumfries.听It was a highly active and enjoyable upbringing, and I would not change any part of it.
As a teenager, summertime听was spent working with cattle, dipping sheep, making silage, getting cereal crop harvested, and making small hay bales with the old flat-eight system if the weather allowed.听The weather听definitely听allowed听us to make hay in 1984 and听definitely did听not allow in 1985 as I recall; those of you of a certain age will no doubt remember what I mean!听听
By the time that I was ready to leave school, I was still a bit undecided about what path to take but with six SCE Highers to my name, I decided to go to university where I studied a BSc (Hons) Biological Sciences.听Four years soon flew past and before I knew it, it was time to look for a job.听听
After听a short period听on the farm at home, I started work with SAC听Consulting听in Dumfries during 1997, when the office was听located听at Midpark House 鈥� a very grand sandstone building which has since been converted into one of the many hospital buildings in Dumfries.听It was during these early years that I decided to complete an MSc in Farm Business Organisation听and听Management (FBOM).听听
After several years spent working听as a dairy consultant听on different dairy related projects under (now retired) Dr David Roberts and Jimmy Goldie, a two-year secondment to Harper Adams University in Shropshire followed. After this, I returned to SAC听Consulting听in Dumfries, this time based in a new office within the Crichton campus, continuing to听work on various dairy听related听projects.听听
In听2014 I made the move across to SAC Consulting.听After finding my feet in the new role, I听got听accredited under the Fertiliser Adviser Certification听and听Training Scheme (FACTS)听and听achieved certified status through the Farm Business Adviser听Accreditation Scheme for Scotland (FBAASS).听
I听am responsible for听95 farmer clients within the upper Nithsdale听area,听and I am听involved in the usual range of consultancy activities including the completion of IACS听applications,听agri-environment and capital grant scheme applications,听preparation of听NVZ records, and nutrient planning.听听
More recently, there has been an increasing amount of work in the form of carbon auditing 鈥� notably because of the Scottish Government funding through the Preparing for Sustainable Farming (PSF) scheme and as a result of the carbon audit being introduced as one of the five components of the Whole Farm Plan for the Single Application Form (SAF). I鈥檓 also involved with the delivery of Scotland鈥檚 Farm Advisory Service (FAS) programme as a topic lead, and I鈥檝e been the editor of the Farm Management Handbook since 2019. The recently released 46th edition can be found on the .听
The role of an Agricultural Consultant with SAC Consulting can be extremely varied, which is what attracted me to the role, as I have an interest in all听of livestock farming.听Since moving to the Barony听Campus in 2021, I have had the opportunity to become engaged in some teaching with students and have been involved with the delivery for several of the HND modules 鈥� a slight change of direction which I have enjoyed very听much. 听听
Outside of SAC Consulting, I am a partner in the鈥痜amily farm where the business is focused on finishing cattle鈥痭ear Annan, Dumfries with cattle currently being sold to ABP. 听
Alastair Beattie, Senior Agricultural Consultant,听Alastair.Beatte@sac.co.uk听听
Posted by SAC Consulting on 11/03/2026
