Farming

Scottish Rural Action are recruiting volunteers to campaign on rural issues and facilitate workshops at the 2016 Scottish Rural Parliament event.

The Scottish Rural Parliament brings together people from communities and decision-makers from public bodies, NGOs and private bodies, with the aim of improving rural policy and finding better ways of providing services.

The installation of an artificial bowling green and a community hall refurbishment are the first two projects to benefit from funding from the Orkney LEADER 2014-2020 Programme.

The Kirkwall Bowling Club will install an artificial outdoor bowling green which will allow assurances of play irrespective of the weather, extending the playing season and increasing the opportunity for members and non-members to use the facility.

Book your place at the free 'Connecting communities in rural Lanarkshire' conference to find out more about Lanarkshire LEADER.

The new £4 million Lanarkshire LEADER programme will be launched at the event in Carluke on 1 September.

It will also be a chance to find out more about the priorities and objectives against which applications for funding will be assessed.

There will be three interactive workshops and a chance learn about successful projects from the previous programme.

Five 'Land Commissioners' and a 'Tenant Farming Commissioner' are being sought for the new Scottish Land Commission.

The Scottish Land Commission is to be set up in terms of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016.  

The Commission will conduct studies and research into the effect of law, policies and practices which will help form the evidence base for any future land reform measures to be introduced by the Scottish Government. 

An event report, presentations and papers from a workshop on the development of the new Areas facing Natural Constraint scheme are now available online.

The European Commission require that a new Areas facing Natural Constraint (ANC) land designation and scheme be in place by 2018. This will replace the current Less Favoured Area Support Scheme.

A new European publication focussing on 'Smart and Competitive Food and Drink Supply Chains' is now available online.

The European Network for Rural Development's (ENRD) EU Rural Review 22 looks at opportunities to improve the competitiveness of primary producers by better integrating them into the agri-food supply chain.

The publication includes examples of initiatives from across Europe including Scotland's Chocolate Trail and accessible public food contracts in East Ayrshire. 

Registration is now open for the Scottish Rural Parliament 2016 event.

The Scottish Rural Parliament will bring together 400 people to discuss the issues of greatest importance to rural communities in Scotland.

The event will be held in Brechin, Angus from 6 to 8 October and is free for most people to attend.