The Farm Sub-Committee was appointed by the Animal Breeding Committee on 23 October 1929, following a grant of £5,000 from Canadian financer T.B Macaulay to purchase an experimental farm (this was shortly to be established at Shothead Farm, Balerno). The Committee was initially charged to 'examine the practical details of the scheme and to report at an early date to the Committee'; later, its role was to report on matters specific to Shothead. Professor E. Shearer was appointed Convener.