WELL-KNOWN Simmental breeder Stewart Stronach, of Maisley, Keith, Banffshire, has been elected as the 26th president of the British Simmental Cattle Society (BSCS), following the society’s recent AGM, held on Zoom.

First elected to BSCS Council in 2013, Stewart has most recently served as vice-president of the society and chairman of Shows & Sales North, before now taking over the position of president from Michael Barlow, of Ulnes, Lancashire, who completed his two-year term of office at the close of the annual meeting.

From Banffshire in North-East Scotland, Mr Stronach is the fourth generation of Stronachs to farm at Maisley in Keith, Banffshire, where he’s based with partner Fiona Sutherland, and their family, including Michael, Ellie, Lauren, Aimee and Emma.

Along with Fiona and Michael, the farming partnership includes Stewart’s parents, Stewart Snr and Hazel, who live at Berryleys Farm.

Having established their pedigree prefix in the early 1980s, the Islavale herd is now one of the most recognised and successful in the Simmental breed and has regularly led the prices at the society’s premier sales in Stirling and Aberdeen.

The Islavale herd presently comprises of 200 cows including 160 pedigree females and 40 commercials.

Mr Stronach said: “It’s a great honour to have been elected as the society’s 26th president and in what is the breed and society’s 50th year in the UK.”

Outlining his aim for the society to be commercially focused, Mr Stronach urged breeders to cull hard and be selective in their breeding to continue to build the quality across the national herd book.

He said: “British Simmental is established as one of the most influential and profitable breeds in the beef industry and has all the attributes to be a maternal mainstay of the commercial suckler herd in geographies across the UK."

In thanking members for their continued support, Mr Stronach said that communication with every level of the industry would be a future priority.