Sustainable Systems

Bio-acoustic Monitoring Solutions for Land Managers

Bio-acoustic monitoring is the recording and automated identification of animal calls (most commonly birds or bats but can also include insects and frogs) to provide information on the species using…

Monitoring Flock Performance Case Study (Central)

John & Alix Ritchie, Montalt Farm, Forgandenny, Perthshire Keeping performance monitoring simple in a grass-based system For the Ritchies at Montalt monitoring body condition of their flock is essential to…

Farming in a rapidly changing and chaotic climate

Lower yields, earlier harvest dates, crop establishment difficulties and higher cost for additional supplementary livestock feed are some of the impacts affecting the farming community as a result of climate…

Red Clover as a home-grown protein in sustainable sheep systems

Increasing the amount of forage-based protein that can be grown on farm is a key way to address the UK’s protein deficit and reduce reliance on imported protein sources. Forage…

Agribusiness News Audio March 2025: A spotlight on the potato sector, New Zealand, fertiliser use in Scotland and Wills and Power of Attorney

Along with our regular monthly updates on policy briefs, arable, beef, sheep and milk, in this edition we are also bringing you an overview on the potato sector, New Zealand, fertiliser use in Scotland and Wills and Power of Attorney.

Diversification on a Shoestring

As of 2022, 58% of Scottish farms have diversified beyond traditional agriculture. Notably, diversified farms earned an average of £24,200 more than their non-diversified counterparts. Diversification not only boosts income…

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,…

SAYFC Respect

Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by Ally Brunton chair of SAYFC and Jillian Kennedy, SAYFC Vice chair. They both talk about their time in young farmers and the experiences and benefits of being in the club. They also tell us about the SAYFC Respect campaign which was launched at the Highland Show in 2024, which aims to allow every member to contribute to SAYFC as a safe, inclusive, fun environment for young people. This episode discusses themes around mental wellbeing and suicide, please listen with care.

Can we store more carbon in our soils?

There is a lot of discussion around how we ‘lock up’ more carbon in our soils, however due to natural processes, this is more challenging than just applying more organic…

Farm Peatland Restoration At Leadloch Farm, A Case Study and Guide

Peatland restoration projects can be complex, with many moving parts. This case study of a year-long peatland restoration project aims to give readers an overview of how farmers and landowners…

Sign up to the FAS newsletters