Farming

New entrants to farming are being offered a free one-to-one mentoring service as part of the new Farm Advisory Service, which launched earlier this year.

The mentoring programme pairs new starters in farming or crofting with experienced farmers to share expertise in farm and business management to help overcome the financial and technical challenges of setting up a farm or croft.

Five Land Commissioners and the Tenant Farming Commissioner have been selected for the first Scottish Land Commission.

The Commission will be based in Inverness and will be operation from April 2017.

The appointments, which are subject to Parliamentary approval, are as follows:

  • Land Commissioners - Andrew Thin, Professor David Adams, Megan MacInnes, Lorne MacLeod, Dr Sally Reynolds
  • Tenant Farming Commissioner - Dr Bob McIntosh

Scottish Ministers have selected Andrew Thin to chair the Commission.

Over 200 people gathered in at Gogarburn in Edinburgh on 14 November at an event designed to recognise the collective contribution of women to agriculture and rural or land-based industries.

Watch our video interview with Anne Logan, veterinary surgeon and Director of Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS).

Anne was the first woman appointed to the executive commitee of RHASS, a charitable organisation with more than 15,000 members that supports and promotes the very best of agriculture and the rural-based industries in Scotland.

Anne says:

Farmers across Scotland are being encouraged to open their gates to the public for Open Farm Sunday 2017.

Registration is now open to take part in the annual event on 11 June. Open Farm Sunday is a great opportunity for farmers to show the public their achievements and the range of goods and services they deliver. 

The public engagement programme at Glasgow’s Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) is looking for farmers interested in participating in a research project about Scottish farm practices.

They are looking for farmers that are keen on meeting with the artist Asuncion Molinos Gordo while she is visiting Scotland. She will be here for field research, between 15 and 24 November, to learn more about the various issues Scottish farmers are facing in their day-to-day lives.

The Scottish Government has announced that European Union (EU) funding contracts for farming, fisheries and structural funds projects that are agreed before the UK proposes to leave the EU will be paid in full.

Finance Secretary Derek Mackay has announced that he will be passing on, in full, the EU funding guarantees that have been offered by the UK Government, providing certainty for over £700 million of EU funding for Scotland.

Mr Mackay said:

Rural crime prevention meeting

Police Scotland is holding a rural crime prevention meeting at Menmuir Village Hall, Brechin at 7pm on Thursday 8 December.

All farmers and members of the rural community in the Brechin area are invited to come along, where Special Constable Ricky Martin will be providing advice and information on a variety of issues. 

These will include:

  • Property Marking 
  • Property Security
  • Fuel Security
  • Animal Security
  • Machine Security 
  • Hare Coursing 
  • Suspicious vehicles

Police Scotland have launched a campaign to raise awareness about the devastating effects of livestock worrying.

The month-long campaign, aimed at dog owners, coincides with a rise in livestock attacks during November. This month, sheep are brought down to low lying pasture - in areas where more people exercise their dogs or where local dogs are allowed to roam free.

Crofting roadshow: Gairloch

Do you want to help secure the future of crofting?

The Crofting Commission elections will be taking place in March 2017.

At a crofting roadshow near you you can find out more about the elections, the role of the Commission and Commissioners and the importance of making your voice heard.

The roadshow will also have short talks from different crofting organisations addressing key crofting issues, followed by a Q&A session.

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