Welcome to Stock Talk. In this episode James is joined by Alice Lennox from the Rare Breed Survival Trust (RBST). Alice tells us all about what the RBST does and gave us some insight to some of the rare breeds on the ‘at risk’ watchlist. Alice and James discuss the role of these rare breeds including conservation grazing, conservation of livestock genetics and the inclusion of native rare breeds in commercial systems, for example to produce a low input suckler cow that can be outwintered.

Resources

RBST website:Right breed, Right place, Right system

Link to training courses: Conservation Grazing - RBST

Email: enquiries@rbst.org.uk

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot

Facebook: @FASScot

National Advice Hub

Phone: 0300 323 0161

Email: advice@fas.scot

Join us for a conversation with Dumfries & Galloway Woodlands, the not-for-profit initiative is taking a proactive approach to restoring and connecting native woodland across the region. We explore the importance of woodland connectivity, the realities of creating woodland on working farms, and how the Dumfries & Galloway Woodlands and their projects are helping landowners turn good intentions into trees in the ground.

Contact:

McNabb Laurie - D&G Woodlands Manager

Email: mcnabb.laurie@dgwoodlands.org

Mobile: 07538 798 837

Harry Fisher - Consultant

Email: harry.fisher@sac.co.uk

Host Harry Fisher, Producer Iain Boyd, Editor Kieron Sim, Executive Producers Kerry Hammond & Kirstyn Blackwood

Key Timestamps:

0:00 – 14:26 Intro to D & G Woodlands and their work

14:26 - 21:18 Their woodlands connectivity project

21:19 - 28:08 Types of woodland creation and the wider benefits

28:09 – End Next steps and how to find out more information

Resources:

Dumfries & Galloway Woodlands: https://dgwoodlands.org.uk/

Galloway & South Ayrshire Biosphere: https://www.gsabiosphere.org.uk/

Integrating Trees Network: https://www.forestry.gov.scot/integrating-trees-network

Tweed Forum: https://tweedforum.org/our-work/projects/borders-tree-grant-scheme/

FAS trees & woodland resources: https://www.fas.scot/crops-soils/farm-woodlands/

FAS Environment: https://www.fas.scot/environment/

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot

Twitter: @FASScot

Facebook: @FASScot

National Advice Hub

Phone: 0300 323 0161

Email: advice@fas.scot

Hello and welcome to Crofting Matters, hosted by Osla Jamwal Fraser where we discuss topics that matter in crofting.

For this series, we are bringing you Crofting Matters from Shetland. Today we are looking at traditional crofting practices, Shetland Kale, and how a local development group is working to protect and develop rural life in Northmavine in the North Mainland of Shetland. We’re delighted to welcome Kathleen Anderson, who has been in crofting since her childhood in the 1950s. She now works to preserve traditional crofting practices producing Shetland Kale, Shetland Sheep and Shetland Cattle, usually referred to as kye here. We’re also joined by her daughter in law, Charlotte Anderson, who works as the local project manager for NCDC, which is the Northmavine Community Development Company.

If you enjoyed this episode of Crofting Matters please do subscribe to hear the next episode when we’ll be joined by Andrew Thin from the Crofting Commission to take a look at the changes that will be coming soon with the new Crofting Act passing into law.

Many thanks to our producer Kerry Hammond, our Editor Keiron Sim, and thanks to you for tuning in.

This podcast was produced in association with the Scottish Government.

Resources:

Kathleen Anderson - Growing up on the Croft - Northmavine Community Development Company

Northmavine Community Development Company

Polycrub – Storm-Strength Polytunnels Built in Shetland

Shetland Kale Seeds l Seeds of Scotland

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot

Twitter: @FASScot

Facebook: @FASScot

National Advice Hub

Phone: 0300 323 0161

Email: advice@fas.scot

Biodiversity auditing has become part of the Scottish Governments Whole Farm Plan and discussions around nature conservation are becoming commonplace around the farm table. In today’s episode Alex is joined by senior ecologist Dr Lorna Cole for a broad discussion on the state of Scotlands Nature and where biodiversity auditing fits into the bigger ambitions for nature restoration. Lorna also puts Alex in the hot seat to talk about levels of farmer agreement with habitat classifications.

This episode is brought to you by the Farm Advisory Service, presented by Alexander Pirie, produced by Heather Stuart, edited by Kieron Sim, with executive producers Kirstyn Blackwood and Kerry Hammond.

Timestamps

01.48 Introducing Dr Lorna Cole

02.36 Current state of nature in Scotland

07.19 How significant is agricultural land in combating biodiversity decline

13.24 Biodiversity auditing

19.40 Completing your habitat map

23.54 Alex – level of agreement between farmers and consultants in regard to habitat identification for the Whole Farm Plan

29.37 NatureScot Farm Biodiversity Scotland App

34.30 Submitting your biodiversity audit

36.28 Biodiversity audit – where to start

40.22 The value in Biodiversity Auditing

43.05 An opportunity to demonstrate the contribution agriculture is already making to nature

44.15 Lorna’s take home message

Resources

State of Nature Scotland - 2023 report

NatureScot - biodiversity app

Whole Farm Plan full guidance

Events | Farm Advisory Service

Improving Biodiversity on Your Farm | Helping farmers in Scotland

Increasing Biodiversity to Build Resilient Farms | Helping farmers in Scotland

Using technology to record biodiversity | Helping farmers in Scotland

Lorna.Cole@sac.co.uk

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot

Facebook: @FASScot

National Advice Hub

Phone: 0300 323 0161

Email: advice@fas.scot

Welcome back to the Rural Round-up. On today’s episode George Chalmers and Tiffany Stephenson discuss Bluetongue, updates to greening guidance for 2027 and updates to the Future Farming Investment Scheme (FFIS), as well as other key considerations for Autumn 2026.

Timestamps

How are things in the borders? 00:27

Bluetongue 03:30

Greening guidance for 2027 06:25

Future Farming Investment Scheme (FFIS) 16:00

EFA Hedge cutting guidance 22:17

NVZ closed period dates 23:46

Taking stock of what you have before winter feeding. 27:11

Soil sampling 28:49

Managing grass for tupping 29:47

FAS Resources

Farming in Water Scarcity https://www.fas.scot/news/farming-in-water-scarcity/

Other Resources

Bluetongue Latest updates can be found here: Gov.uk latest BTV updates

Bluetongue Clinical signs in sheep are usually more pronounced than in cattle but can be very variable. A range of photos can be found here: https://ahdb.org.uk/clinical-signs-of-bluetongue.

Suspect cases should be reported to APHA Scotland on 03000 600 704.

The Ruminant Health and Welfare website has various Bluetongue resources for vets and farmers including a vaccination decision maker tool (Battle Bluetongue vaccination decision maker tool)

FFIS 2026 Update https://www.ruralpayments.org/news-events/future-farming-investment-scheme-2026-announced.html

Greening guidance 2027: https://www.ruralpayments.org/topics/all-schemes/basic-payment-scheme/basic-payment-scheme-full-guidance/greening---bps/greening-guidance/

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot

Twitter: @FASScot

Facebook: @FASScot

National Advice Hub

Phone: 0300 323 0161

Email: advice@fas.scot

In this episode Tiffany is joined by Arthy Surendran a Lecturer from Queens University Belfast to discuss her post-doctoral research, which looks at feeding food waste to insects with the aim of producing high value protein and fertiliser (Frass) as a by-product. Tiffany is also joined by Lachlan Jones, an Agricultural consultant from SAC Consulting, who is using Frass in SRUC crop field trials.

Listen to this episode to learn about using insects to produce protein and the potential benefits of using the by-product (Frass) as a potential fertiliser and biostimulant.

This episode was presented by Tiffany Stephenson, produced by George Gauley, edited by Cameron Waugh, with executive producers Kirstyn Blackwood & Kerry Hammond.

Timestamps

00:49 Introduction to Arthy

01:06 Introduction to Lachlan

01:32 Introduction to FRASS

03:00 What is FRASS?

04:57 What is chitin?

07:50 How can chitin prime a plant against disease?

09:37 Micronutrient value of FRASS?

14:54 What is the organic matter value of FRASS?

15:41 How much protein is produced alongside the FRASS?

19:14 What is the pH of FRASS?

22:00 Potential negatives of using FRASS?

24:00 SRUC Field trials using FRASS

30:00 Where does it fit into Agriculture?

Resources

Positive early results in Sustainable control of clubroot https://www.fas.scot/article/positive-early-results-in-sustainable-control-of-clubroot-using-chitinous-food-waste/

Arthy Surendran on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthy-surendran-123408153/

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot

Facebook: @FASScot

National Advice Hub

Phone: 0300 323 0161

Email: advice@fas.scot

You are listening to Agri Culture, a podcast that aims to explore the stories of the people that make up our agricultural industry and culture of farming, in Scotland and beyond.

In this episode, Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by Nicola Wordie an award-winning livestock farmer and social media creator from Aberdeenshire. She farms in partnership with her Dad on a mixed upland sheep and beef farm and shares her day-to-day farming life across social media platforms and a YouTube channel under the name Livestock FarmHER. Her success in content creation recently led her to win the Fordyce Maxwell award for agricultural communications.

Thanks for joining us for this episode of Agri Culture. If you’d like to find out more about Nicola, follow her social channels or watch her YouTube videos you can find links in the show notes. This episode was presented by Mary-Jane Lawrie, produced by Kerry Hammond and edited by Cameron Waugh, in association with the Scottish Government.

Resources:

FarmHER Youtube Channel

FarmHER Instagram

Livestock_farmher | Facebook

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot

Twitter: @FASScot

Facebook: @FASScot

National Advice Hub

Phone: 0300 323 0161

Email: advice@fas.scot