When one farm dared to be different
Every day, thousands of dairy calves are separated from their mothers within hours of birth. Wilma and David Finlay risked everything to prove there had to be another way.
Over 20 years David and Wilma transformed Rainton Farm from a conventional family dairy farm to organic, then regenerative, and now a pioneering nature-based cow-with-calf dairy system.
A Dairy Story shows how changing a farming system changes everything; from the lives of the animals to the wellbeing of the farmers, and perhaps even the future of dairy farming itself.
The film
A Dairy Story captures Wilma and David’s determination to reinvent dairy farming; challenging industry norms by putting nature and animal welfare first. When Wilma receives a terminal cancer diagnosis, their mission to encourage wider industry adoption of their cow-with-calf system takes on new urgency. The film addresses universal themes of connection and mortality, and topics of animal sentience, the environment and system change.
Why this story matters
A Dairy Story offers a window into a genuine agricultural innovation that brings a wealth of ecological benefits. Wilma and David’s approach, keeping dairy calves with their mothers, challenges fundamental assumptions about farming while proving that compassion and commerce can coexist.
This small farm in southwest Scotland now finds itself the global epicentre for rethinking dairy, challenging conventional wisdom about animal welfare, profitability, and environmental sustainability in equal measure. A Dairy Story is both a portrait of two remarkable people and a hopeful vision for agriculture’s future.
Festival status and film specifications
World Premiere: to be announced
Completion: August 2025
Runtime: 78 minutes
Language: English
Aspect Ratio: 2:1
For screening inquiries and festival programming contact info@laverockproductions.com
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