Knowledge on lamb grading systems and carcass payment methods gained during a Hybu Cig Cymru - Meat Promotion Wales (HCC)-funded scholarship remains a valuable resource a decade later for Alison Harvey.

Alison, who is the Agriculture Manager for Lamb at Dunbia and a sheep farmer’s daughter living in Tregaron, was awarded a scholarship in 2012 to visit abattoirs and farms in America and France to study the grading systems and use of technology in those countries.

In France, Alison was interested to learn more about Visual Imaging Analysis (VIA) used by some processors to grade lambs and she also chose America as a focus of her study because that country graded and paid suppliers based on yield and quality.

"I also chose these countries as I had been fortunate enough to have travelled to New Zealand and had seen systems there - I wanted to see something different,’’ she explains.

In America she discovered that yield measurement and a quality grade structure were good as these were based around quality.

"I felt they had a simple method of grading, measuring and labelling the products and I was eager to see it in practice.’’

Carcasses were graded as prime, good and utility, and these labels stayed with the products until they reached the consumer.

As a result of her research, Alison advocated use of auto grading systems in the UK and on that her opinion is unchanged.

But technological advancements need to be made before that can happen, she suggests.

"I think an auto grading system would be good to have in place but until the technology is fully developed and fit for purpose then it wouldn’t be a wise move to make changes.’’

Alison says the opportunities provided by the HCC scholarship have been very valuable to her in many ways, including helping to inform research at Dunbia.

"As well as the topic of study, it is also about who you meet when you travel. It gave me confidence and new connections, and it made me realise how similar farmers across the world are, and the challenges they face.

"I learnt that what you read isn’t always the case - seeing it for yourself and speaking to people is the way to learn about what is really happening.

"Ten years on and I have learnt a lot more about our industry and it is still very important to me.’’

The 2022 Scholarship opportunity window is now open and HCC is welcoming applications from people who work on a full-time basis within Wales’ red meat sector.

Successful applicants will be awarded a £3,000 scholarship to travel to a country of their choice (if Covid restrictions allow) for up to six weeks, to study pre-determined aspects of the sheep, beef or pork industries.

The application form and full Terms and Conditions can be downloaded from the HCC website: www.hybucig.cymru. The closing date is 11 February.