Scotland's Farm Advisory Service Podcast

In this episode Tiffany Stephenson is joined by Robert Meadley to discuss some of the considerations which should be made when deciding to replace or invest in a piece of machinery.  Welcome to Cropcast, your go to podcast for all the latest information on arable crops. Each month, SAC advisor, Tiffany Stephenson will be joined by a range of industry experts, bringing you timely updates to he...

Content Warning: The following episode mentions pregnancy loss.   Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by Eilidh Verstage from Arngask Home Farm. Eilidh and her husband Lloyd are new entrants, who purchased Arngask 4 years ago.  They have rare breed pigs and this year have just started growing chemical free vegetables to sell wholesale, at markets and locally in weekly veg boxes.  They h...

Along with our regular monthly updates on policy, cereals, beef, sheep and milk, in this edition we also have a spotlight on the economic cost of infertile gimmers.  Show Notes   00:34 News in Brief  04:05 Policy Briefs – Payment rates for BPS and Greening 2025, Sustainable and Regenerative Agricultural Practices amongst LFA Farmers and Crofters, Electronic Cattle Tagging Updat...

Please note: We recorded this episode while out at an event, therefore the audio quality varies throughout. Interviewees: Prof Sally Shorthall Karis Beattie Haley Shepherd The Grass Ceiling is an EU-funded project that helps rural women become leaders in innovation—especially in farming and sustainable rural development. It runs from 2023 to 2025 and supports women across Europe through ‘Living La...

Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Kirsten Williams.  On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by Turkey Farmer Paul Kelly. In 1971, Paul’s parents started the family business, known today as ‘Kelly Turkeys’ and ‘Farmgate Hatcheries’. The cycle starts with eggs going into incubators in April for 28 days. When they hatch, they go into brooding sheds, then by 5 weeks of age they are ready to go to the...

In this episode, we catch up with Amelia Heath (Co-Director, Forth Rivers Trust), Clara Schade-Poulsen (Leven LENs Project Officer), and Tom Brown (Senior Programme Manager, LENs Scotland) to explore how the Leven LENs is taking shape following its launch.   We discuss what LENs really means on the ground: how farmers and businesses are partnering to fund environmental improvements, what...

Welcome to CropCast Conversations hosted by Mark Bowsher-Gibbs. On today’s episode Mark is joined by two guests. Grant James (Business Development Manager at Sea2Soil) discusses an organic soil improver product from Sea2Soil. Grant provides an explanation of the biological mechanisms at play in the product, how it works on-farm and what to expect from applications. Steve Townsend brings a wealth o...

Thrill of the Hill is back for season 6! Armed with a new team, new ideas and a range of new speakers, Alex takes on the hot topics impacting the farmed upland environment.  Scotland’s upland farms and crofts are home to hardy cattle and sheep breeds, producing high-quality meat and supporting rural communities in some of our most challenging environments. Yet, feeding and nutrition in these...

In this episode Tiffany Stephenson is joined by Kristina Grenz, Senior Cereal Product Quality Scientist at AHDB, to discuss ergot, which proved to be a significant problem for many growers during harvest 2024. In this episode we discuss the ergot life cycle, symptoms as well as top management tips.  Welcome to Cropcast, your go to podcast for all the latest information on arable crops. Each m...

Welcome back to the Rural Round-up. On today’s episode George Chalmers introduces Mary-Jane Lawrie, who will be sitting in for Tiffany Stephenson, while on maternity leave. Topics of discussion include, extreme weather, FFIS updates and cross compliance reminders, which includes useful tips on hedge management.  FAS Resources   FAS Website – Responding to changing weather https://www.fas...

Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by Liz Haines to talk about her lived experience of being neurodivergent and working in agriculture.  Liz tells us about her background in farming and how she and her husband became new entrants to agriculture.  Liz shares some of her systems and process that help her run their successful dairy farm since being diagnosed with ADHD in 2022.  This diagnosis...

Along with our regular monthly updates on policy, cereals, beef, sheep and milk, in this edition we also have a spotlight on Selling Your Farm: what you need to have in place. Show Notes 00:38 News in Brief 04:16 Policy Briefs – Future Farming Investment Scheme (FFIS), Community right to buy, Knowledge Transfer Innovation Fund (KTIF), Peatland Training Fund, Next Generation Practical Training Fund...

Thinking of diversification projects on the croft?  Hear from two entrepreneurs who have set up shops, campsites and tours in Uist, and are managing to bring in tourists and have a healthy footfall.  They discuss the issues with funding on croftland, ferries, finishing animals, abattoirs, Instagram posts, Scottish Agritourism, and Enterprise agency support.  Anne MacLellan runs Balr...

Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Principal Consultant Kirsten Williams.  On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by Colin Mason (Veterinary Centre Manager, SRUC). This episode focuses on livestock health and covers BVD eradication, show biosecurity, dairy beef calves, TB, Bluetongue and Schmallenberg virus.     Episode Timestamps   00.44 BVD eradication (phase 6)&nbs...

In this episode, we dive into how Natural Capital is reshaping land use, farming, and business decisions with our guest, Dr Kerry Waylen. She shares her insights and working examples, to explore how land managers, farmers, and policymakers measure nature’s value, access carbon markets, and plan for long-term sustainability. We discuss topics including a just transition, the risks of greenwashing,...

In this episode Tiffany Stephenson is joined by Donald Dunbar and Alan Bruce to discuss changes to EFA options under the Scottish Government’s enhanced greening measures for 2026, and how farmers might go about integrating some of these options into their own farming systems.    Welcome to Cropcast, your go to podcast for all the latest information on arable crops. Each month, SAC a...

Thrill of the Hill is back for season 6! Armed with a new team, new ideas and a range of new speakers, Alex takes on the hot topics impacting the farmed upland environment.  Often overlooked and easily mistaken for its more common relatives, the Northern Brown Argus butterfly is a small but significant species found in parts of Scotland. Closely tied to very specific habitats and entirely dep...

Welcome back to the Rural Roundup. On today’s episode George Chalmers & Tiffany Stephenson discuss the new Future Farming Investment Scheme, which will open for applications on 14th July 2025 and close on 22nd August 2025. This show is produced in association with the Scottish Government.  FAS Resources  Future Farm Investment Scheme full guidance   Future farming Investment Sch...

Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by Josh Barton from Brose Oats.   Josh tells us about the company, Brose Oats, and their oat milk products, telling us the story of how the company grew from an idea in a small kitchen, to distributing Scottish oat milk across the Lothians and beyond.  He also talks about the importance of sustainability, both in terms of food production, but also in terms...

Along with our regular monthly updates on policy, cereals, beef, sheep and milk, in this edition we also have a spotlight on Scottish Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Emission and Nitrogen Use.  Show Notes   00:40 News in Brief  04:08 Policy Briefs – The Future Farming Investment Scheme, Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme, Single Application Form Changes for 2026, Scottish Governm...

Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Principal Consultant Kirsten Williams.  On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by farmers Ben and Harriet Lowe. HB Farms in Aberdeenshire consists of Newseat of Dumbreck, an arable farm on tenancy and Pitmillan Farm which is home to 450 breeding sows and a finishing unit. In addition to grass, forestry and land for environmental schemes, they grow 397ha of crops,...

The Future Farming Investment Scheme (FFIS) grant scheme is a new scheme in 2025, allowing crofters and farmers to invest to improve business efficiency, nature and climate friendly farming. The FFIS offers flexible capital grants to support investments with tiered levels of funding available. There are other changes affecting crofters, such as a simplified Crofting Agricultural Grants Scheme, whi...

Welcome back to the Rural Roundup. On today’s episode George Chalmers & Tiffany Stephenson talk to Professor Steven Thomson about the Enhanced Greening conditional changes which will come into effect from 1st January 2026. This show is produced in association with the Scottish Government.  FAS Resources  Events | Events helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service Greening Gui...

Measuring and accounting for biodiversity across farmlands is becoming increasingly important. Environmental DNA (eDNA) involves collecting genetic material from environmental samples like water and soil to detect what species are present. It is a tool that is growing in popularity, that can give insights into the range and distribution of species found across a landscape, assess ecosystem health,...

Thrill of the Hill is back for season 6! Armed with a new team, new ideas and a range of new speakers, Alex takes on the hot topics impacting the farmed upland environment. In this episode outreach adviser Charlie Owen from the Woodland Trust discusses the MOREwoods scheme set up by the Woodland Trust. The scheme is there to allow land owners to access partial funding and advice which may will lea...