Crofting

The next round of the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) has opened for applications today (17 January).

AECS is part of the Scottish Rural Development Programme. It supports environmentally-friendly land management practices that aim to safeguard and improve Scotland's natural heritage and help businesses adapt to climate change.

Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing has confirmed that hill farmers and crofters in Scotland's most remote areas will continue to receive support under the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme into 2020.

The Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) provides essential income support to farming businesses in remote and constrained rural areas.

Funding is used to:

Farmers across Europe are being asked to take part in an online survey about Precision Agriculture Technologies.

Precision Agriculture Technologies include the use of information technology, satellite positioning data, remote sensing and proximal data collection. The technologies can optimise production efficiency, improve working conditions, increase farmers’ income, and reduce unintended impacts on the environment. 

The 2019 Scotland's Finest Woods Award are open for entries.

This year's awards programme is the biggest ever, with the Farm Woodland category expanded and a unique one-off award to celebrate the centenary of the 1919 Forestry Act.

Scotland's Finest Woods Awards highlight all that is best in Scotland’s management of its woods and forests, and showcase how they contribute to the wealth and well-being of Scotland’s people. 

The 2019 Awards are:

A new three-part BBC Alba documentary offers a personal portrait of the crofting calendar on South Uist - past and present.

The first two episodes of 'San Fhuil/It's In The Blood' are available to watch on the BBC iPlayer, with the third episode airing tomorrow 12 December at 9pm on BBC Alba. All three episodes will be available on the iPlayer for 30 days after broadcast.

Fourteen projects across the UK have been awarded a share of more than £300,000 in the latest round of funding from the Prince's Countryside Fund.

More than a million pounds has been awarded this year to support crofters to get better housing.

The Scottish Government's Croft House Grant Scheme provides grants for crofters to improve and maintain the standards of crofter housing, with the aim of attracting and retaining people within the crofting areas of Scotland.

Funding may be used for:

A new hub has been set up to help farmers set up a connection to go into business with one another.

Your views are wanted on the impact of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) on generational renewal, local development and jobs in rural areas.

You can have your say by taking part in a short online survey by 26 November 2018.

The Farm Advisory Service's (FAS) newest video case studies feature farmers who have received support from FAS to grow their farming businesses.

The first video features farmer, Bitney MacNab, who explains how funding help for an Integrated Land Management Plan (ILMP) helped her to establish her own eco-friendly smallholding.