Food and drink

The Chief Statistician has released first estimates of the 2023 Scottish harvest.

The figures predict that cereal production will remain in line with the ten-year average despite significant challenges during the year, including high input costs and poor weather condition. Total cereal production is expected to be around 3.0 million tonnes.

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon and Trade Minister Richard Lochhead have written jointly to the UK Government to voice the Scottish Government’s concern about the possibility of the UK Government negotiating a ‘foundational trade partnership’ with the United States of America, as reported recently in the media.

The countdown is on to Scotland’s national smallholding festival, which takes place at the Royal Highland Centre on Saturday 14th October 2023.

A team of researchers led by The James Hutton Institute (JHI) in Aberdeen is hunting for volunteers to help them investigate what helps or hinders rural life in Scotland.

JHI is research institute located in Aberdeen and Dundee which focuses on the sustainable management of land, crops and natural resources for supporting thriving communities.

The Scottish Government today published the Scottish Fish Farm Production Survey 2022.

Supporting farmers and crofters to produce food more sustainably, work with nature and reduce emissions is at the heart of new draft legislation.

The Agriculture and Rural Communities Bill will reform how the government will support farming and food production in Scotland. It will legislate to introduce a new framework of support to replace the current Common Agricultural Policy.

Today sees the publication of two OECD reports focusing on Rural Innovation -  the 'Enhancing Innovation in Rural Regions: Scotland (UK)' and the thematic publication 'Networks and Rural-Urban Linkages for Rural Innovation'.

Stranraer Oyster Festival has ‘come of age’ according to organisers after drawing record crowds to the three day event in south west Scotland, that celebrates the wild, native oysters of Loch Ryan.

Romano Petrucci, Chair of Stranraer Development Trust, the community organisation that runs the festival, said:

Scottish farming businesses will see support payments start to reach their bank accounts this week, two weeks ahead of last year’s first payments. 

The Scottish Organic Milk Producers co-operative is celebrating 20 years of collaboration this Organic September with the launch of a new project that’s set to benefit organic dairy farmers across Scotland.