24 Oct 2022
The role of the farm vet has “increasing relevance in today’s world”, Colin Mason said in his first comments after taking up the position.
Allister Webb
Job Title
Colin Mason.
The new BCVA president has hailed the “significance” and “relevance” of the farm vet’s role as he took up his new office.
Colin Mason succeeded Elizabeth Berry in the role at the association’s annual meeting in Birmingham on Friday 21 October.
A graduate from The University of Edinburgh, Mr Mason is a veterinary investigation officer and centre manager at Scotland’s Rural College’s disease surveillance centre in Dumfries, and he believes the sector’s role is only becoming more crucial.
Mr Mason said: “Farm vets have significant opportunities and increasing relevance in today’s world.
“Food security and the cost of food, alongside climate change and sustainability, means animal production for food has never been under greater scrutiny.
“We have a massively important role to play in ensuring that food animal production is sustainable in every possible way.
“If we are going to feed plant material to animals to then produce food, the process needs to be as efficient as possible; welfare friendly, with production systems that are acceptable to the consumer and systems that limit environmental impact and promote biodiversity. Happy, healthy, productive cows are central to this. The farm vet can make a real difference.”
Mr Mason, a former honorary treasurer of the association, has represented the BCVA in the development of the Animal Health and Welfare Pathway, which is set to facilitate post-Brexit support for the farming industry.
He acknowledged that the industry’s well-documented recruitment and retention problems are an additional challenge – particularly with further measures proposed in devolved nations.
But he added: “This presents an opportunity for farm animal vets, which are central to this work, and the BCVA is and will work with Defra, other veterinary bodies and practitioners to help deliver this.
“There is also exciting new opportunities to treat lameness with the new farmer training in foot health, delivered by vets and foot trimmers with the Lantra-approved programme.”
