Sustainability award honour for Fife farm’s innovative approach

East Neuk’s Balcaskie Estate was named Sustainable Farm of the Year at the 2025 Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) Food & Farming Sustainability Awards

It was recognised for its commitment to cultivating and caring for the natural environment, nurturing local business and supporting the vibrant community. Native breeds including Lincoln Red cattle, Tamworth pigs and a range of native sheep are central to Balcaskie’s low-input, sustainable farming system, and to the management of the wider landscape to help promote natural biodiversity.

The farm has developed a reputation for its innovative approach to farming and food and drink production. Based on Balcaskie Estate, Bowhouse – a centre for artisan food and drink producers – hosts regular monthly Market Weekends and is home to a thriving butchery, brewery, café, flour mill, café and food store.

Sam Parsons, farms and estate director, said: We were are delighted to receive the award. Our adoption of native breeds to suit our organic pasture-based production system is essential in breeding suitable livestock to match our farm and produce the highest quality meat, with growing demand from retail and chef customers alike.

“We see that native breeds are essential in the future of differentiating UK farming from our global competition. Moving the dial for some of the rarer and at risk breeds is both good for our domestic gene bank and good for our customers too.”

RBSTis the national charity that promotes the UK’s rare native livestock and equine breeds. Its awards celebrate the people and businesses throughout Scotland’s farming and food industry who have placed environmental sustainability and native breeds at the centre of their business.

The winners were recognised at the Royal Highland Show.

Jim Fairlie MSP, Agriculture Minister said: “I am delighted to be part of the RBST Scottish Forum’s Scotland Food & Farming Sustainability Awards, as we celebrate the people and businesses throughout our farming and food industry who place environmental sustainability at the heart of what they do. I would like to congratulate everyone taking part and hope that they have a wonderful time at this year’s show.”