Crofting

Police Scotland, National Rural & Acquisitive Crime Unit (NRACU) have issued a warning about the impacts of Livestock attacks and worrying.

Livestock attacks and worrying is the phrase used when a dog attacks or worries livestock animals in rural and farmland areas.

Sheep producers who have lost livestock to sea-eagles will continue to receive support from Scottish Government for 2024. Up to £400,000 has been allocated to the Sea Eagle Management Scheme (SEMS) to help farmers explore different management techniques and trial new prevention measures.

Land managers in receipt of financial support through long-term Management Agreements as part of the scheme have been assured payments will continue this year.

This week the Crofting Commission announced a new initiative designed to strengthen the crofting sector by engaging with landlords of vacant crofts. This project aims to ensure landlords are aware of their responsibilities and to encourage the re-letting of currently vacant crofting land.

The deluge of wet weather throughout Scotland this winter and the start of spring is having adverse effects on the agricultural sector. With a wetter than average spring come issues with lambing, calving, flooding and general farm management.

Horticulture – Compost and Growing Media

Do you have a horticultural enterprise on your smallholding or croft? Do you buy or make compost or growing media? Do you get variable results?!

Join FAS for this online talk and discussion on compost, with grower and soil expert Audrey Litterick.  Audrey will cover:

Eigg has a long history of crofting and has twenty-one crofts split across two townships. While traditional crofting is much less prevalent than it was 30 years ago, it still plays an important role in the economic, social, and culture of Eigg. 

Proposals to modernise how Scotland’s cattle are tagged, identified and traced is the focus of a new consultation launched today.

Cattle farmers and businesses are encouraged to give their views on plans to fit all new-born cattle with electronic ear-tags. If implemented, Bovine electronic identification (EID) can provide cattle keepers with an easier way to collect and store cattle information, leading to improvements in efficiency and safety.

Dog owners are being encouraged to do the right thing this spring in the Cairngorms National Park and keep dogs on leads around livestock.

A consultation on banning the use of cages to house laying hens for egg production has been launched this week.

Views will be sought on phasing out the use of enriched cages, which offered more room to nest, roost, scratch and rest than the previously used battery or barren cages that were banned in the UK in 2012.

In the latest of a series of initiatives behind its #KeepTalking campaign, RSABI is encouraging people to try find time, even during lambing, calving and sowing, to look out for each other.

Working with the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs (SAYFC), the charity is publishing social media posts highlighting the vital #KeepTalking message along with SAYFC’s powerful AreEweOk? message.

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