Latest Press Releases

In March, the UK launched its Pesticides National Action Plan (NAP) 2025. The objective is to reduce pesticide use for environmental and human health reasons.   While it recognises that farmers need the tools to grow food and the merits of Integrated Pest...

Farmstrong Scotland, the wellbeing charity for farmers and crofters, is thrilled to announce its latest fundraising challenge, taking place next month, when eight supporters will abseil from the world’s tallest whisky distillery.  On Sunday 11th May, the daredevil...

Peter Eccles saw himself as a dedicated and conscientious farm manager and hardworking rugby teammate. When both came to an end, he found himself having something of an identity crisis. Now, after opening his own on-farm fitness business and getting involved in...

A landmark building in the heart of Huntly has officially reopened its doors as a dynamic new community space, following a major redevelopment by Huntly Development Trust (HDT). Known as Number 30, the former Cruickshanks department store, which had been vacant since...

With just 13mm of rain since the beginning of March, Norfolk grower, Michael Wilton will start irrigating cereals this week to protect yield potential. Michael manages the Stody Estate’s acreage in North Norfolk alongside 600ha of contract farmland. Crops are looking...

Pea growers have a new, free resource at their fingertips, thanks to a collaboration between ADAS, BASF, and the Processors and Growers Research Organisation (PGRO). The inaugural Pea Growth Guide is a comprehensive booklet, available online and in print, sharing...

The farmland market in England and Wales is holding steady in the face of mounting sector pressures, according to the latest results from the Knight Frank Farmland Index. Despite wider challenges across the agricultural sector and ongoing policy uncertainty, values...

A new survey, carried out by the agricultural wellbeing charity, Farmstrong Scotland, has found that farmer and crofter wellbeing is lower than the Scottish population.  More than one-third of respondents fell into the low wellbeing category, when compared to the most...

CARAS the body honouring distinguished service to Scottish agriculture and related sectors has a new Chair. Well respected Midlothian farm and estate manager Bill Gray MBE was appointed at their recent Conference and AGM held at the Royal Highland centre, Ingliston....

Aberdeenshire Farmer Nicola Wordie has thrown her weight behind Farmstrong, speaking out about the importance of connecting with others during tough times. Nicola, aged 26, who, together with her family, farms around 1400 acres near Huntly, has had a whirlwind few...

  Kent grower's 2024 bean crop outperforms winter wheat profitability  Optimal conditions: No compaction, low weed and disease burden vital to success  Strategic input: Herbicide and fungicide choice instrumental for high-yielding beans   In an era where UK...

Farmstrong Scotland, the wellbeing charity for farmers and crofters, has been awarded two years of funding from Perth & Kinross Council. The local authority has agreed to donate £10,000 over two years to fund vital wellbeing activities in the Perth & Kinross...

The four farmer founders of The Green Farm Collective (TGFC) have teamed up with Eurostar Commodities to develop a line of flours produced using regenerative farming practices. RISE RE:GEN Flour has the strapline Farmed with Nature and its launch underpins the intent...

The continued strong beef prices at the livestock marts, up almost 25% on last year, is bringing new faces to the ring as well as encouraging beef farmers to “stick in”, says Alan Hutcheon, President of the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers (IAAS).   ...

  Varied establishment within early, mid and late drilled wheat crops   Potential for high disease pressure across all major diseases makes effective, broad-spectrum products key at T0 and T1   Brown rust lesions spotted in forward Crusoe crop mid-February Drilling...

Simon Britton, Head of Agri-Consultancy at Knight Frank, said: “The immediate closure of the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) applications, without warning or consultation, is deeply frustrating for farmers who were planning on this financial support. Many now face...

ADAS’s latest research on Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle and lodging brings hope for UK OSR crop Data demonstrates high CSFB larvae numbers doesn’t always equal low yields Modelling showed that Caryx® reduced the lodging risk from one in three, to one in five or six for a...

The ‘Weir Dancing for Doddie’ Charitable Dinner and Dance 2025, held on 28 February, has raised an outstanding £101,444 for the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation. The event welcomed 600 guests to the P&J Live for a night of entertainment and dancing thanks to Robert...

Project measured impact of sustainable farming practices and generated additional revenue for barley growers Average savings of 2.3 tons CO₂e per hectare, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by close to 90 percent Project delivered through BASF’s Global Carbon Farming...

Farmlay’s General Manager and longest standing employee, Lesley Arnott, has spent 26 years working at Cockmuir Farm, near Strichen, and shares her experience as a valued team member of the family-owned business, reflecting on how the business has evolved and grown...

We need to cooperate on crop research to create a sustainable agricultural industry, says Adam Christie, Managing Director of independent agronomy coop, Scottish Agronomy.  “As the industry undertakes some major changes to meet the challenges of Net Zero, it is...

Profitable sheep farming requires effective nutrition, which is the key to healthy, prolific ewes says Ruminant Nutritionist, Steven Eddie of East Coast Viners Animal Nutrition.  The advice was discussed at recent Ewe Nutrition workshops delivered by East Coast...

Farmstrong Scotland, the wellbeing charity for farmers and crofters, has appointed two new trustees following an overwhelming response to its first-ever public call for board members. The peer-to-peer led programme, which recently secured charity status, was keen to...

AgriScot has announced the appointment of renowned South Ayrshire dairy farmer, Gilmour Lawrie, as its new Chair. He succeeds Robert Neill, who has led the event for the past seven years, strengthening its position as the UK’s premier farm business event. A committed...

How we decide to use our land must surely be one of the biggest decisions a country can collectively make, and, ahead of the NFU Conference, navigating the current direction of policy travel for food, farming and land-use is dominating many of the UK farming sector’s...

Trinity Grain, the farmer-owned grain storage and marketing cooperative, welcomed farmers and industry leaders to a well-attended speaker event on February 5th. The evening, themed “Helping Yourself and Helping Each Other,” provided a forum for open discussion on the...

Farmstrong Scotland, the wellbeing charity for farmers and crofters, is launching Blether Together Live, a series of informal events designed to help people step off the farm, meet others in the industry, and enjoy an evening of good food, great conversation and...

BASF launches new complete fungicide solution for Irish growers.   Navura® + Comet® 200, offers  growers a complete T1 solution for their barley crops.This new pack provides well balanced disease control covering all major barley diseases; Rhynchosporium, net...

This technical growing guide, created by BASF in partnership with industry experts from NIAB, SRUC, ADAS and Teagasc provides all the necessary information required to maximise the yield and quality of both spring and winter barley crops. To download the Barley...

Expanding into online used machinery, industrial equipment and liquidation sales is proving good business for a number of Scotland’s livestock marts, says Neil Wilson, Executive Director of the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland (IAAS). Reports are...

Interpret your feed label to maximise nutrition this spring  Understanding the detail on feed labels is key to getting nutrition and productivity right, says Steven Eddie of livestock nutrition experts, East Coast Viners Animal Nutrition.   Reading feed labels is...

The independent agronomy coop, Scottish Agronomy, has kickstarted 2025 with the opening of a second office and a new agronomist trainee programme. The second office, in addition to the main office at Arlary, will be at Cortachy, near Kirriemuir, and will also provide...

A THIRD-generation egg producer has welcomed some aspects of Defra secretary Steve Reed’s so-called “new deal for farmers.”    However, managing director of Farmlay Iain Chapman, stopped short of giving his wholehearted support to the Secretary of State’s speech at...

TALKING to Cora Cooper, one of the latest people to be interviewed for Farmstrong’s podcast Blether Together, is the gift that keeps on giving. Host Sarah Stephen, who has all the gravitas gained from her television work for programmes such as Landward but also the...

RevyPro® is an innovative new fungicide from BASF, joining Revystar® XE as an additional Revysol® containing option in 2025. RevyPro® builds on the proven strength of Revysol® to give excellent efficacy, long lasting protection and outstanding flexibility across crops...

Delivering long term sustainable value to its farmers through cooperation is the overarching aim of farmer-owned grain storage and marketing cooperative Trinity Grain, which is launching its new five-year strategic plan by hosting an evening panel of distinguished...

Knight Frank, a global leader in rural property consultancy and estate management, has joined forces with one of the UK's leading natural capital portfolios, Oxygen Conservation as the principal sponsor of its acclaimed Shoot Room Sessions podcast. This partnership...

Overall, the farmland market edged up slightly during 2024, according to the latest results from the Knight Frank Farmland Index, which tracks the value of bare agricultural land in England and Wales. Despite the turbulent year there are still plenty of active buyers...

Farmers working towards increased sustainability have the chance to win exclusive advice and access to experts as entries open for the 2025 Rawcliffe Bridge Award for Sustainability. Launched in 2022 to celebrate 20 years of sustainability initiatives with the...

When Farmstrong Scotland was established, it was under the guidance of the hugely successful team in New Zealand, where the initiative had originated some years earlier. Seeing the impact of the programme on the farming industry was what initially sparked the founders...

The Knight Frank Viticulture team, the only dedicated viticulture advisory service within UK property consultancy, has launched a pioneering demographic mapping tool set to redefine how vineyards and wineries target their audiences and expand direct-to-consumer sales....

Knight Frank’s rural consultancy extends into North England, securing a key milestone in its ambitious two-year drive to establish a comprehensive national presence and tailored rural management and advisory service offering across the country. Knight Frank, a leader...

Annie Kenyon of Annie Kenyon Architects Ltd has received the ‘Doddie Champion’ Award at the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation Anniversary Dinner, which took place last Thursday 28 November. Annie has been recognised for her boundless efforts in raising money to find a cure...

Scotland’s smallest herds with fewer than 30 cows, which make up almost half (49%) of all beef holdings and 10.3% of total breeding dams, could see potential funding reductions of £241,240, the loss of one and a half livestock marts and a large abattoir. This is the...

Joining Farmlay as a contract producer has helped a young Scottish farmer transform a modest acreage into a profitable concern. Like generations of farmers’ sons before him, Ross Learmonth was determined to “stand on my own two feet” and attempt to make his own living...

Six pioneering voices to present at OFC25 on transformative ideas in food, farming, and sustainability    The Oxford Farming Conference (OFC), supported by McCain Foods (GB) Ltd., is thrilled to announce the six trailblazers selected for its inaugural Inspiring...

The recent Budget announcements sent shockwaves through many rural businesses across the UK, and now data from Knight Frank shows that the drastic reduction of the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) will have the biggest impact on Less Favoured Area (LFA) farmers. Defra will...

Farmstrong Scotland, the wellbeing charity for farmers and crofters, has recently secured charity status and is now looking for new trustees to join its board. The peer-to-peer led programme has spent the last year developing its governance and structure, to ensure it...

Wow, what a year it’s been! As I look back on my first year as Programme Director at Farmstrong Scotland I am filled with pride and gratitude for the progress we’ve made as a team.  I’m lucky to love what I do and am passionate about the potential Farmstrong has to...

Over 40 farms entered the inaugural 2024 M&S Steak Competition run as part of the ‘live and carcase’ Premier Meat Exhibition at ABP’s Bridge of Allan site on 9 November. The Scottish National Fatstock Club’s event, now in its 31st year, has been supported by...

The 2024 ABP Winter Fair – the Premier Meat Exhibition - held at the Bridge of Allan site on 9 November, was a sell-out success once again. Organised by the Scottish National Fatstock Club and sponsored by M&S, the event is now in its 31st year.  In total, 139...

Scotland’s First Minister, John Swinney MSP, attended AgriScot for the first time today (13th November) at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, underscoring the event’s importance as the premier winter gathering for Scotland’s agricultural community. Addressing a...

For the first time since the modernisation of the electricity network, horses are being used to extract timber on SSEN Transmission projects. It may be the image of a bygone era, but there is still very much a place for horse logging - the extraction of timber - from...

There are constant developments in the industry to make agriculture ever more efficient and profitable and the Product Innovation Award at AgriScot is an excellent showcase of some of the latest advances on the market. The shortlist this year is testament to the fresh...

Egg producer Farmlay has hatched a plan to almost double productivity for 2025 with a £2.4m investment in a state-of-the-art grader.  AI-based Computer Vision technology is at the heart of the new grading equipment that will be rolled out...

The Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) is pleased to announce the appointment of three new Directors to its board for the 2026-28 term. Leprino Foods Sustainability Manager Ben Williams, farmer and land manager Jamie Graham, and Savills Director and Head of Rural...

The Autumn 2024 Budget delivered by the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves MP, once again demonstrates the huge disconnect that remains between politicians and the wider business community, specifically those involved in agribusinesses. There is no doubt that the announcements...

The biggest tax raising budget in generations has confirmed our worst fears. Boxed in by her election pledges – to not increase income tax, VAT nor National Insurance contributions for working people – the Chancellor, with little room for manoeuvre, has announced...

The Scottish Agriculture Awards returned in spectacular fashion tonight (Thursday, 24th October), with over 500 attendees gathering to celebrate the sector’s most innovative and forward-thinking businesses and individuals. Organised by AgriScot, RHASS (the Royal...

Farmland markets have virtually flatlined in the third quarter of 2024 though average values edged up, according to the latest results from the Knight Frank Farmland Index, which tracks the values of bare agricultural land in England and Wales. However, with some...

The Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) is delighted to announce the speaker lineup for the 2025 conference, themed, "Facing Change, Finding Opportunity." Taking place from 8th-10th January 2025, the conference will draw a diverse group of experts, pioneers and...

Following a recent report which shows that less than half of respondents have taken up the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), rural experts are calling on farmers to take full advantage of public funding opportunities while they are on offer to bolster their...

Farmstrong Scotland has commissioned Scotinform – Scotland’s longest established, independent market research company - to carry out in-depth research to find out how farmers and crofters in Scotland are feeling and what steps they take to look after their wellbeing....

BASF Nunhems, a leading provider of innovative crop solutions for the fruit and vegetable industry, is excited to announce its attendance at Fruit Attraction 2024, taking place on October 8-10 in Madrid. As Naz Ahmed, Customer Marketing Specialist at BASF Nunhems,...

The Oxford Farming Conference (OFC), in partnership with McDonald’s UK and Ireland, is pleased to announce the recipients of the Breaking Barriers Scholarship, which is supporting eight individuals aged under 30 years old, who identify as Black or Person of Colour...

On Thursday, 3 October, British carrot growers will unite for the inaugural UK National Carrot Day, urging the nation to support home-grown carrots and safeguard their future in the face of mounting climate challenges and shifting market conditions. Leading the charge...

Putting a portion of carrots on your plate costs less than ten pence. They are cheap and nutritious but - fear Britain’s farmers - somewhat taken for granted. That is why a group of six farmers have clubbed together to launch the first UK National Carrot Day to...

On Tuesday 24 September 2024, Her Royal Highness (HRH) The Princess Royal visited the Stirling branch of Hugh Black & Sons; one of Scotland’s most celebrated independent butchers. The visit marks a significant milestone for the company, which has grown from a...

Compaction caused by last season’s wet weather will exacerbate black-grass issues unless it is dealt with, warns independent soil and cultivations expert, Philip Wright. Across the country Philip is seeing many soils with a solid surface layer, which could make...

For larger pig producers, the burden of working with the Pollution Prevention and Control (PPC) regulations can be considerable. Following regulations, keeping abreast of changing rules and their interpretation, dealing with inspections and maintaining paperwork just...

  Data snapshot Prime cattle prices surged to unprecedented levels at start of September 2024 Price of R4L grade steers £5.17 per kilogram deadweight (dwt) during the second week of September at Scottish abattoirs - a 5% increase compared to the same week in 2023 and...

Experts say autumn applications of a plant growth regulator (PGR) could hold the key to improving early drilled oilseed rape (OSR) yields. While genetic improvements are giving higher yields in trials, this isn’t being translated to the field and a core of industry...

With sheep scab reaching worrying levels in Scotland, Caledonian Marts at Stirling is trialling a sheep dipping service at its store and breeding sheep sales. Buyers can opt in to have the sheep dipped before leaving the mart, and they are separated out as they leave...

The Oxford Farming Conference is proud to announce the return of the bursary programme for the third year, enabling more than 40 individuals to attend the UK’s leading agricultural conference. Generously supported by the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust and other key...

Event Details: Date: Thursday 3 October 2024 Location: Cockett Barn Farm, Hexgreave Park: Farnsfield NG22 8LW Time: 08:30 to 15:00  On the day highlights include: Variety Trials – Explore the latest developments in carrot varieties. Exhibition Stands – Visit the...

AgriScot, the UK’s leading farm business event, has now opened entries for its dairy competition ahead of the judging at the event on 13th November 2024. With a prize fund of £25,000 - the largest of any dairy competition in the UK - and a broad range of classes,...

Today, 16 September 2024, Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) has proudly launched its authentic and emotionally engaging new marketing campaign, ‘When You Know, You Know’ developed with Edinburgh-based creative agency, Multiply. It highlights to consumers that there is...

This autumn, Farmstrong Scotland and the Farm Advisory Service (FAS) will come together to deliver a variety of workshops across Scotland to help farmers and crofters understand the positive impact that a healthy mind can have on your business. Kicking off in...

Lessons learnt growing up on an Outer Hebrides farm put Isla Mackenzie in pole position for a career in Formula 1 Motorsport. Here, she speaks about her incredible journey to the starting grid and the lessons learnt that continue to keep her firing on all cylinders …...

BASF Nunhems, a leading name in vegetable seed innovation and a brand of BASF, is proud to announce its participation in the 2024 British Tomato Growers’ Conference, set to take place on 26th September at the Chesford Grange Hotel, Warwickshire. This year’s...

John Gilmour Butchers proudly marked a milestone with their successful launch to the London foodservice and hospitality market at a prestigious event at Dover House on 9 September 2024. The exclusive event took place by kind permission of the Secretary of State for...

AgriScot, the UK farm business event held near Edinburgh in November, has launched its 2024 Business Skills competition with a cash prize of £1000. Open to ages 18-25, the competition is designed to identify and develop the best young agribusiness talent from across...

Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) highlighted the economic potential of Scotland’s beef sector, current industry concerns and changes on cattle herd at the annual Scottish Association of Meat Wholesales (SAMW) conference and lunch on Friday 6 September 2024. QMS Chief...

The Oxford Farming Conference (OFC), the UK’s premier agricultural event, is proud to announce a new partnership with a leading publication for the farming community, Farmers Weekly, to bring insightful content and a highly anticipated Farmers Weekly Question Time...

Robert Chapman believes in treating hens like other high-performance animals - such as dairy cows or racehorses - with diet at the heart of good health and results Through their Farmlay brand, the Chapman family are one of the best-known names in Scottish and UK egg...

Cattle condition scoring, nutrition, winter housing preparation and back-end grazing will be key topics at the Strathspey Monitor Farm autumn meeting. Livestock producers will hear about some of the changes happening at the farm, and specialists who work closely with...

Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) is proud to announce its participation as a gold sponsor at the upcoming Universal Cookery and Food Festival (UCFF), an esteemed event celebrating the best in culinary arts and food innovation. Taking place at Loddington Farm in Kent on 26...

New initiative invites innovators in food and farming to share groundbreaking ideas at prestigious conference The Oxford Farming Conference (OFC), in partnership with McCain Foods (GB) Ltd., is thrilled to announce the launch of the "Inspiring Innovators" programme...

There’s no greater way to market Scottish lamb than give people a chance to cook and taste it for themselves, says Neil Wilson, Executive Director of the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland (IAAS) as the livestock marts open the Lamb Bank for 2024....