Crofting Matters
Latest Episode:
Crofting Matters – Matchmaking New and Retiring Crofters
Many aspire to having and working a croft, however crofts are difficult to obtain, at least in the more productive and scenic areas. At the same time, retiring crofters sometimes find it hard to give up their business, their source of income and home. The Scottish Land Matching Service is designed to help aspiring new producers, whether crofters or farmers, with advice, guidance, and a database of opportunities. Ian Davidson joins us today to discuss the SLMS role in helping crofts to remain in productive use.
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Crofting Matters – Subsidy and Support Changes for Crofting
Support is changing, and although not all details are clear, crofters claiming subsidy need to have specific items and plans in place by next spring. Listen in to hear the essential information you need for next year’s Basic Payment Scheme claim.
Read more >>Crofting Matters – Livestock Disease Risks on Crofts
Disease risk in livestock, and biosecurity is something we perhaps don’t consider as much in crofting areas as farmers might in more intensive systems. Crofting tends to be more extensive, with lower densities of stock, but we often share bulls, and graze on common ground. In this episode I’m joined by Kythe MacKenzie, who is a vet with SRUC, and Kate Lamont, who is a researcher, to discuss the practicalities of managing disease risk.
Read more >>Crofting Matters – Routes to Crofting
This episode hears from 2 crofters with two different routes into crofting. In this episode we discuss how they gained their croft, what they found were barriers, and hints and tips for aspiring or new crofters. I’m delighted to be joined by Derek Dick, who is a relatively new crofter in Berneray, and Angus Ferguson, who is an experienced crofter in North Uist.
Read more >>Lessons from Ireland
In this episode we look at what we can learn from the Irish system, where farms are similar to our crofts. A group of crofters are just home from a study tour to Ireland, and we hear from Derek Jamieson who crofts in Unst, Shetland, what he took from this exchange of knowledge. We also hear from Keith Fahy, advisor with Teagasc, explaining the Irish subsidy system and improvements being made to their national flock and herd.
Read more >>Crofting Matters – Crofting Commission Chief Executive
Gary Campbell is the new Chief Executive of the Crofting Commission, having just started his role in January this year. With a background working in both the public and private sectors he talks us through his previous roles, his own family crofting story, what he is planning to achieve in his new CE role and his vision for the Crofting Commission.
Read more >>Crofting Matters – Common Grazing Finances: Common Issues
We are at Dornie hall, talking to clerks and committee members about the issues they face when trying to run the common grazing, especially when it comes to finances. Firstly,…
Read more >>Crofting Matters – Subsidy Future & Current Schemes
Don’t miss out on the current schemes which boost income and improve animal and soil health! We discuss the PSF scheme, the future of subsidy, recent changes to the Croft…
Read more >>Crofting Matters – Succession
Crofting legislation is fairly complicated and its no different when it comes to succession! Brian Inkster, well-known crofting law specialist, takes us through different scenarios and highlights what to watch…
Read more >>Crofting Matters – Tax & VAT for Crofters
It might not sound that interesting, but, especially these days, understanding what you can and should be doing with accounts and tax is important to save unnecessary expense and keep…
Read more >>Crofting Commission Online Applications
The Crofting Commission has recently started accepting online applications through their website for some of their crofting regulatory applications. In this episode, Siobhan Macdonald and Graham Fraser discuss which applications…
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