Marketing Blog

by Jane Craigie [monhtly column in the Press & Journal] The ‘race to the bottom’ can’t continue for farmers and the food they produce. So, I was heartened, to see Bali Nijjar, MD of Freshways, the London-based dairy processor, calling on retailers to ‘value milk...

By Jane Craigie Just when supply chains didn’t need another crisis, Vladimir Putin decides to invade Ukraine. The human impact on Ukrainian people is almost impossible for us to comprehend, from the safety of our country and homes. Normal life, one day replaced by...

By Jane Craigie. Prior to Christmas 2021, several UK grower associations said that many of their members were not going to risk planting horticultural crops this season because they couldn’t guarantee the labour they needed to pick, pack and transport their produce....

By Jane Craigie. January has become the month of food and drink campaigns; some are health-centric, others have an emphasis on the environment. Dry January means no alcohol; Veganuary is a switch to a vegan diet and now we have Regenuary, which has a pro-regenerative...

By Jane Craigie In England this week, George Eustice announced more detail on Defra’s Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), for which 1,000 farmers are already signed up. The scheme starts to give some clarity to farmers on what to expect from the next phase of...

By Jane Craigie, Host of BASF's The Science Behind your Salad Podcast Making bread is a joy. It brings pleasure in its making, its baking and its eating. Nothing compares to the smell of freshly baked bread - apart from maybe freshly ground coffee and cut grass. ...

By Jane Craigie The number of people attending COP26 is staggering. Over 25,000 world leaders, 100,000 demonstrators and 10,000 police officers are in the city gathered to address the climate ‘code red for humanity’. I was privileged to speak at a COP26 fringe, on...

By Rebecca Dawes. I have just visited Arran for the first time, and it won’t be the last. Aside from the stunning scenery, nature and wildlife, it is the first holiday where I have come home and really felt “human”. From the moment we stepped off the Ferry, our...

For those of us who have studied at an agricultural college, or campus, the bond of connection with that place is strong and enduring. I studied for my degree in agriculture at Seale Hayne Agricultural College in South Devon. As a result of some – in my opinion – bad decision making, and a lack of vision, the college closed its doors in 2005, much to our collective heartache.

Huntly’s Hairst has been running for a number of years. Organised by a group of community volunteers and supported by local organisations Huntly Development Trust (HDT) and Deveron Projects, it’s a celebration of local food, farming and community. Its strapline is...

When the rural area you live in has been the bedrock of your family for generations, it can be difficult to break free of the mould that people expect you to fit. In contrast, newcomers to rural places can find it intimidating to navigate the social dynamics that are...

Love him or loathe him, Jeremy Clarkson is doing what many have tried to do for years. Clarkson’s Farm is showing the reality of farming in the UK and in doing so is connecting the public to the agricultural community. The good and the bad, the vast range of skills...

Regenerative agriculture is a concept that is captivating many UK farmers as the sector plans for a greener emphasis for farming support payments. ‘Regen Ag’ focuses on soil regeneration, minimum tillage and mixed farming. Many ‘Regen’ advocates also place importance...

For centuries Britain held a strong position as world traders, but for the last 50 years, our trade has taken place predominantly across a narrow stretch of water between UK ports and the European trading block.

RSABI

Launched in March 2021, The YoungStock is aimed at any budding young farmer, or child interested in farming and the countryside. Packed full of stories and activities, the 32-page publication celebrates the environment, food production and seasonality. Founded by...

I’m from a really small village. When I say small, I mean it. Within the village of Rydal, which is located atop of the Great Dividing Range in New South Wales, Australia, there is a population of just 50 (depending on how many of my family are visiting).

Last week, it was with a very heavy heart that I sent out a press release for the Turriff Show committee announcing its cancellation for the second year in a row. It was a hard, but the right decision given the uncertainty Covid-19 is still creating for us all....

The food and farming sector faces a nail-biting Christmas as the countdown to Brexit painfully drags on. Our exit from the world’s largest trading block has come at a complex time, the world’s economy has been jarred by COVID-19. Shoppers’ habits have altered...

A former student at SRUC is among three new non-executive directors to be appointed to the SRUC Board. David Bell, who studied for his HND in Agriculture at the King’s Buildings in Edinburgh in 2001, joins marketing professional Jane Craigie and Chris Sayers, former...

Jane Craigie Marketing and the Rural Youth Project have been shortlisted for the Rural Business Awards, the UK’s premier awards for rural businesses programme. Jane Craigie Marketing has been shortlisted in the Best Rural Professional Services Award with the Rural...

Five nations have teamed up to inspire rural communities to take to the countryside to help improve their mental health. Launching today (12 October) to coincide with #AgMentalHealthWeek, the challenge, #Run1000, is calling on people to sign up to be part of one of...

Rural young people are being encouraged to sign up for the Young Rural Change Makers Programme, focused on leadership and enterprise skills, being, run by the Rural Youth Project.  The five-week, participative training initiative has been designed to support young...

There’s a great podcast called Flash Forward, it covers concepts of tomorrow, such as superfast healing bandages, getting paid for your personal data and the future of diplomacy if leaders couldn’t lie. In today’s reflection I’m doing my own flash forward to how...

Over the last five months, the pandemic has demonstrated how vulnerable our rural communities have become as a result of the lack of infrastructure such as good broadband, access to local services and the supply of basic daily needs, such as food. In recent years,...

While 2050 may seem a long way off at the moment, it is clear that the changes we make now are important in shaping our future and what life will ‘look like’ for the next generation, and the one to follow that. To help us start thinking about the legacy we’re leaving...