Rural Business
Agribusiness News April 2025 – Sustainable Proteins
Background To reduce reliance on imported protein feeds, livestock farmers have long been exploring the use of home-grown alternatives such as pulses, lupins, rapeseed and forage legumes. Currently, the UK ruminant feed industry relies heavily on imported proteins such as soyabean meal which raises concerns about sustainability, food security and the environmental impacts. There has…
Agribusiness News April 2025 – Nature Based Solutions In A Chaotic Climate
What’s coming ahead? We are living in a rapidly warming and chaotic climate, with cascading and simultaneous effects of drought, flooding and extreme weather events across Scotland. Climate models predict by 2100, There may be an east : west divide in Scotland, where the west and west coast will experience higher frequency of extreme rainfall…
Agribusiness News April 2025 – Pollinator’s Value To Scottish Agriculture
Insect pollinators: their value to Scottish agriculture Flowering crops are alive with a diversity of insects including hoverflies, bees, beetles and butterflies. These beasties are hard at work collecting nectar and pollen, and in return, they provide a crucial pollination service. They transfer pollen between flowers, contributing to the production of fruits, seeds, and vegetables. …
Agribusiness News April 2025 – UK Seasonal Worker Visas For 2025
UK Seasonal Worker Visas for 2025 Following a two-year extension, the Seasonal Workers Visa Scheme has now been extended for a further 5 years and is now guaranteed to run until 2029 providing certainty and stability to many businesses. Visa Allocations Poultry: For 2025, there will be 2,000 Seasonal Worker visas are available for the…
Rural Roundup – Headlines & Deadlines for SAF (IACS) and AECS
In this episode, we’re joined by George Chalmers & Tiffany Stephenson who talk headlines and deadlines. We talk about the Single Application Form (IACS) window, AECS, and changes to both. We also discuss “Fair work first” and what that means for farmers & crofters undertaking an AECS.
Agribusiness News March 2025 – Management Matters: Wills & Power of Attorney
Autumn Budget 2024 – fundamental change to Inheritance Tax The Budget brought significant changes to Inheritance Tax, particularly concerning Agricultural Property Relief (APR) and Business Property Relief (BPR). These changes could result in some farming assets now being subject to IHT. Given these developments, estate planning has never been more crucial. Many farmers still lack…
Agribusiness News February 2025 – Management Matters: How Whole Farm Plans will Affect Landlords
Landlords and the 2025 SAF Whole Farm Plan requirements The Scottish Government have introduced the Whole Farm Plan as a condition of the Basic Payment Scheme from 2025 onwards. All businesses that claim, including Landlords under ‘Alternative Practice’ (AP), need to have in place a minimum of two of the following activities: Carbon audit Soil…
Agribusiness News February 2025 – Inputs: The Benefits of Co-operating with Co-operatives
The role of Co-operatives in supporting agribusiness in Scotland Co-operation is the quiet engine room of Scottish farming. Collectively, producer co-ops generate over £1bn turnover to Scottish agriculture each year. Some 65 producer co-ops represent over 25,000 memberships across all major enterprises. From dairy to daffodils, pigs to potatoes, soft fruit to shellfish, cauliflowers to…
Capital Gains Tax and Reliefs
Following the Autumn Budget the rate of Capital Gains Tax (CGT) was increased with immediate effect – CGT is a Tax on the profit generated when you sell or dispose of an asset where the value has increased, this applies to sales of Agricultural land and farms. For farmers this means that any…
National Minimum Wage and Employment Taxes
National Living Wage (NLW)/National Minimum Wage (NMW) The table below shows the increase in National Living Wage/National Minimum Wages proposed in the Autumn Budget National Minimum wage paid to Apprentices, Under 18s and 18 to 20-year-olds. National Living wage is paid to anyone over 21. Approx increase in Gross pay per annum based on…