Scotland’s Farm Advisory Service’s Second Conference – A Big Success In Inverness

Over 130 farmers, crofters, and agricultural workers gathered at the Macdonald Drumossie Hotel in Inverness to discuss the future of farming. The theme of the day was ‘Cultivating Change: Tech-driven futures for Farmers and Crofters’ and featured a wealth of speakers talking about how technology is helping rural businesses work smarter, save time, and boost profits.

The conference, put on by Scotland’s Advisory Service, is the second of its kind, and represents the ambition of the programme to bring more of Scotland’s agricultural sector together to discuss and prepare for the future. Keynote speaker and new entrant sheep farmer , Nicola Wordie, shared how she has been using social media to promote agricultural life to a wider audience. She talked about showcasing the highs and lows of farming, and how she uses and recording kit and software to make life easier and improve animal welfare. Succession played an important role on the day as well, with a specialist session held for new entrants to help them put their best foot forward, and a talk on succession planning hosted by Robert Young of EQ Accountants.

The day was practical, with workshops on technology, biodiversity, land and livestock management giving attendees plenty of opportunities to ask questions that would directly benefit them and their businesses. A highlight was the interactive ‘where to turn’ workshop that allowed participants to quickly self-sort themselves by their needs and get one-to-one discussion time with Crofting Commissioners, RPID staff, APHA, Advisors, and Vets. One attendee was heard to say ‘this is brilliant, I would never have plucked up the courage to speak to these organisations without this event.’

Siobhan Macdonald, who led the FAS team team delivering the conference said:

“It was fantastic to host this event in the Highlands, with such strong support from local farmers and crofters. The audience brought thoughtful questions and great engagement, particularly during the new entrants session and the demonstrations of emerging technology, including the AI spot sprayer. Hearing real-life experiences from farmers already using new technology made it easier to see how these tools could work in practice back home.”