Rural services

Agricultural support in Scotland is changing. From 2025, new conditionality will start to be introduced to agricultural payments, targeted towards biodiversity gain and a drive to low carbon approaches.

To help support farmers, crofter and land managers, Scottish Government have produced a range of information sheets to help farmers and crofters prepare for these changes, to identify recommendations that can lower emissions and increase efficiencies.

The widespread effects of the virus on seabirds and wildfowl in Scotland and throughout the U.K. have been well documented, but the effect on birds of prey is less well known.

Peer Support in Scotland - National Network event

Heidi, Trish and Ross, peer leaders from Moray, Fife and the Borders, would like to welcome you to connect and start to build a network we can all benefit from and enjoy.

Peer support is where a person with lived experience of, for example a health condition, offers support to another person with a similar condition. Some peer supporters are paid, while others do so on a formal volunteer basis, and others provide informal pro bono support.

In response to the independent Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) Taskforce report, the Scottish Government is proposing to bring forward provisions to allow for a limited extension of the Scottish SPCA’s current powers to investigate wildlife crime.

Vital in the fight to tackle climate change, peat covers more than 20% of Scotland and is crucial for water quality, richly diverse landscapes, slowing floods and wildfires, sustaining rural jobs and storing carbon.

An evaluation report - 'Women in Agriculture Practical Training Fund 2021-2022: evaluation report' - has been published by Scottish Government. 

An industry-led strategy which aims for a 25% increase in turnover for Scotland’s food and drink sector by 2028 has been published.

Social Care Minister Maree Todd joined the first of a series of events where people can co-design the new National Care Service.

The event at Stirling’s Albert Halls allowed carers, people who access and deliver care, including the workforce, and anyone with an interest to contribute to how a new National Care Service could work.

The Scottish Government has published its first steps towards developing just transition plans for three key sectors of the Scottish economy, with discussion papers published for Built Environment and Construction, Land Use and Agriculture, and Transport.

New conditions for farming support payments will be introduced from 2025, to help more of Scotland’s farmers and crofters cut emissions and help tackle climate change.

The criteria will also support farmers and crofters to meet more of our food needs sustainably, and farm and croft while working to protect nature.

From 2025 farmers and crofters will be required to adopt the following practices to qualify for the payment:

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