Farming

Improved controls on the storage and application of slurry and digestate.

Amendments have been made to the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011. These include improving controls on the storage of slurry and digestate to reduce leakage, and more targeted spreading to maximise the nutrient benefit and reduce emissions.

Scotland has become the latest nation to sign up to the 4 per 1000 initiative, which aims to boost carbon storage in agricultural soils and reduce the global carbon footprint.

The two-day Scottish Agritourism Conference was a hugely inspirational, educational and enjoyable event.

Measures to limit spread of the disease.

Following confirmation of avian influenza (H5N1) among a flock of kept birds in the Angus constituency, laboratory results have identified the strain as highly pathogenic in poultry.

Following a number of detections of avian influenza (bird flu) in wild birds across Great Britain, the Chief Veterinary Officers from England, Scotland and Wales have declared an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) across the whole of Great Britain to mitigate the risk of the disease spreading amongst poultry and captive birds.

The next steps in reforming the agriculture sector in Scotland

Supporting farmers and crofters to cut emissions and produce sustainable, high quality food have been set out by Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon. 

Farmers and crofters are to be supported to play their part in Scotland becoming a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture.

A National Test Programme will begin next spring, with up to £51 million of investment over the following three years.

How to plan and develop new crops and products into your farming business

This interactive workshop will provide some ideas and tips on how to make your farm more diverse by increasing biodiversity, growing new crops or producing new food products. It will provide advice on how to plan but also how to develop business around these changes.

The Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) will reopen for funding in 2022 to support the ambition of doubling the amount of land under organic management, set out in the Programme for Government 2021-22.

Biodiversity and alternative food products

Increasing biodiversity of both the farm environment and what it produces, is seen as one of the ways in which farming businesses can remain sustainable in the future.

We’ll watch video footage from some Scottish businesses that are farming in a way that has increased biodiversity on their farm. These business owners will also join us as part of our panel.

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