The future of farming is bigger farms and the adoption of science and new technology, including genetic modification (GM), the Oxford Farming Conference has heard. Ivory said it was important for the industry to harness science and technology to maximise yields. He deplored the Scottish Government's opposition to the use of genetic modification. "How on earth can we move forward in crop science if we are not going to be allowed to use GM?" he asked. "It offers huge benefits to both farmers and the public, including the potential to treat cancer." Ivory said he could not understand why farmers continued to steer bull calves when keeping them entire offered huge financial benefits. He had found that 96 per cent of his young bulls reached the top "U" grade, compared with 36 per cent for steers. The bulls finished six weeks earlier and made £150 a head more than the steers. He works closely with Sainsbury's, ABP and McDonalds. "I prefer to work with supermarkets and not against them," he said. "They understand that, without profitable farmers, they have no food."
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