Mountfair Farming, operating across the Scottish Borders and Northumberland, handles around 2,100ha of owned and contract-farmed ground.
Oats and winter wheat make up the main crops, with breaks of oilseed rape, beans and vining peas, and the company has used minimum tillage practices since 2002 to deliver environmental benefits across the business.
When its seed cleaning and storage facilities were in need of replacement, the company looked to future-proof operations.
“We needed a system that was efficient, flexible and reliable – one that would integrate with existing infrastructure,” said Aidan Grimsdale, operations manager. “McArthur BDC stood out for its experience, attention to detail and proven track record in delivering post-harvest grain processing solutions.”
After assessing the farm’s existing rotary cleaner and seed dressing applicator, the McArthur BDC design team identified how both could be integrated into a new plant.
McArthur BDC designed the plant within a purpose-built shed. The new system included a JK Machinery JCC 08 vibrating sieve cleaner, a 10t hopper and Skandia elevator equipment, all controlled via a touchscreen.
The JCC aspirator reportedly plays a key role in preparing grain for farm saved seed, removing dust and chaff ahead of seed dressing.
The plant is used to process 400t of farm saved wheat, beans and oats, and has the capacity to handle contract processing in the future.
“The new plant met every one of our critical success factors: it was operational for harvest 2025, it delivers consistent results across different crops, and it was delivered on time and on budget,” added Aiden. “If we continue processing our farm-saved seed, we’re looking at a five-year return on investment – with even faster payback if we decide to move into contract cleaning.
“The McArthur BDC team were great to work with from start to finish. The knowledge and expertise of its grain cleaning specialist, combined with their extensive grain handling experience has resulted in the delivery of a grain processing plant that cost-effectively integrated our existing equipment and which builds resilience for the future, enabling us to continue to meet our environmental aims.
“I would encourage anyone looking at upgrading or designing and building new grain processing capabilities, waste no time in talking to them.”