Farming

An upcoming Scottish Rural Action conference will kick start a 'rural movement' to make rural Scotland's voice heard.

Representatives from rural Scotland's communities, businesses and organisations are invited to attend the free event taking place from 26 to 27 February at New Lanark Visitor Centre, the renowned world heritage site.

A new podcast dedicated to rural Scotland and it's various industries has launched today, Monday 13 January.

The OnFARM – Food, Agriculture and Rural Matters podcast has been launched by Scene & Herd PR and Marketing and is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and a new dedicated website.

Scene & Herd PR and Marketing are working with industry experts, successful business owners and key organisations to increase public and inter-industry awareness of Scottish rural enterprise and its stories.

A project which aims to keep calves with their mothers for longer is among those that will share more than £340,000 of investment.

Awarded through the Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund (KTIF), the new funding will drive forward innovation in farming and food production and help businesses shift to a low carbon climate-resistant economy.

Rural businesses from across the country have been announced as finalists for the Scottish Rural Awards 2020.

The Scottish Rural Awards celebrate the enterprise, innovation and community spirit of those who live and work in Scotland’s countryside. Shortlists have been announced for 12 award categories including a new award for Best Countryside Digital Innovator.

The final report from the Women in Agriculture Taskforce, commissioned by the Scottish Government, has been published.

The taskforce found that women's contribution to the industry can be undervalued, downplayed or simply unseen.

The taskforce’s recommendations include:

RSABI has launched its biggest awareness raising campaign.

The charity supports people working in Scottish agriculture, providing financial, practical and emotional support to individuals and families.

Services offered by RSABI range from helping people issues such as money worries and employment concerns, accident, illness and mental health. 

The Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET) will hold their first fundraising Gala Dinner on Friday 21 February 2020, in celebration of their 21st birthday.

RHET's purpose is to bring farming and the working countryside and its practices to life for young people. The organisation works with volunteers to provide free educational activities and experiential learning opportunities for Scotland’s children,  arranging farm visits and classroom education and providing teacher training and educational resources.

NFU Scotland's North East region are hosting its inaugural Mental Health Conference on 7 November in Inverurie.