Crofting

Further details about the actions farmers and crofters will have to take to receive agricultural support payments from 2025 have been unveiled. The new criteria for support will help farmers and crofters meet more of our food needs sustainably, and farm and croft while working to protect nature.

This week saw the publication by the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee (RAIC) of the Stage 1 Report on The Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill.

The achievements of Scotland’s top land-based and aquaculture trainees were celebrated last night (Thursday 7th March) at Lantra Scotland’s ALBAS (Awards for Land-based and Aquaculture Skills) at the Crieff Hydro Hotel in Perthshire.

A community nurse who has been working with Scottish agricultural charity, RSABI, on the delivery of its pioneering Health Hut initiative, has been selected for the prestigious Queen’s Nurse Award.

More than 70 farmers and Crofters across Scotland are working together in a programme to share nature-friendly farming approaches to restore biodiversity and address climate change while also strengthening their livelihoods. 

Carole Brunton and Ian Hope, who have been co-opted to the RSABI board, each bring a wealth of agricultural experience and knowledge to the charity.

In response to growing concerns in the Scottish farming sector about the suspected role of badgers in killing and eating lambs, a study was carried out by Science & Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) in partnership with NatureScot, National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS) and Scottish Land & Estates (SLE).

More than £7 million has been awarded to 517 rural businesses in 2023 from the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS). 

Overall, £27m will be paid over the lifetime of the contracts to applicants, to help support land management activities that will benefit nature and mitigate against climate change.

The Scottish National Fat Stock Club’s annual LiveScot event, held at Lanark Agricultural Centre in November, raised over £1,900 for agricultural charity RSABI, thanks to the generosity of its supporters.

A well-known farming couple are looking forward to attending The Farmers’ Choir performance this month at Perth Concert Hall for a particularly poignant reason.