Sustainable Systems

Sustainability Frameworks, A Pathway To Resilience

Scottish farmers are facing growing pressure to meet carbon, biodiversity, sustainability, and reporting requirements from buyers, consumers and government. Corporate value chain mechanisms that are likely to influence agriculture to…

Business and Policy June 2026 – Policy Brief

Red Diesel Duty To Be Cut By One-Third The UK government has announced a temporary cut to red diesel fuel duty to help farmers and other industries cope with high fuel costs. Red diesel duty will fall from 10.18p/litre to…

Photo of a cupped handful of soil. Growing out of the soil is a young tree sapling that has rolls of paper money notes attached to the main stem. The photo is titled 'Money Tree' and the photo makes it look like the hand is holding a tree that is growing paper money!

Tax Update – Spring Statement 2026

In Brief The 2026 Spring Statement was not a farming Budget. It contained few direct announcements for Scottish agriculture and no major new tax measures aimed specifically at the sector. …

Build Resilience In Any Farming System Using Organic Principles

We are increasingly recognising the vulnerability of our food production systems to external shocks – escalating input costs, changing consumer patterns and more extreme weather events. Organic systems, with their…

Ensuring A Resilient Water Supply For Your Farm

With Scotland traditionally being thought of as a ‘wet’ country, we often take water for granted. However, as our climate is changing, water is no longer a ‘free’ and plentiful resource, and many…

Understanding Portable Soil Moisture Meters

We recently published an article on in-situ moisture sensors here. But, for those wanting to experiment before taking the leap, portable meters remain a useful entry-level option. These handheld devices…

Soil Moisture Monitoring: Technology for Modern Irrigation Management

This document gives an overview of soil moisture monitoring technologies for farmers and growers. This isn’t a complete review. This field is growing fast, with new products and methods showing…

Basic Farm Water Resilience Audit (Summer 2026)

A practical guide to building resilience to water scarcity and drought This document is a water resilience audit for Scottish farms – you can complete it online or it is available to download. It draws on regulatory guidance and other adaptation checklists…

Using Biochar For Sustainable Waste Management and Barley Cropping – Support Further Research!

In Scotland, spring barley accounts for 66% of national cereals grown, however production is under threat; Increasing climate variabilities are projected to significantly alter establishment, anithesis, grain filling and yield…

Precision Farming in Practice – Spot Spraying And Variable Rate Nitrogen

Precision methods help farmers to reduce input waste while maintaining output, which are two priorities for Scottish agriculture as costs rise and environmental expectations tighten. This article focuses on Variable…

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