Latest Press Releases

Scotland’s pork industry will be celebrated, in a month-long focus with Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) supporting Scottish Craft Butchers’ ‘Porktober’ campaign, to promote the nutritional value of Specially Selected Pork to consumers. The consumer-facing campaign will...

According to the latest market commentary from Quality Meat Scotland (QMS), a reduced supply of finished lambs across GB, rising export volumes and lower imports from abroad have been supporting the lamb price in Scotland.  Given indications of a smaller lamb crop...

Scottish Quality Crops (SQC) growers are benefiting from streamlined auditing following the appointment of new certification body, Food Integrity Assurance (FIA).   FIA, which was set up by the cooperative support hub, SAOS, in 2022 to offer devolved, Scotland-centric...

Despite last year’s challenging autumn, Luximo® gave growers more black-grass control in comparison to the market standard and will be a key building block in herbicide programmes for the season ahead. Reviewing Luximo®’s first year in a recent webinar, BASF revealed...

The AgriScot Business Skills, sponsored by NFU Mutual and supported by Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), looks to support aspiring young professionals by encouraging them to think about the skills required to manage an agricultural business, whilst also connecting them...

When BASF Agronomy Manager, Colin Mountford-Smith heard about the ryegrass challenge Rob and Peter Barlow were facing, he wanted to help. The father and son team had recently taken on 160ha infested with the weed and while they had made great progress with two years...

Today, Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) released an assessment of the vital economic contribution of Scotland’s red meat supply chain to the Scottish economy; the last time a similar assessment was undertaken was in 2016. Red meat production contributed between 36 per cent...

Early pregnancy diagnosis (PD) in cattle has huge potential to improve business efficiency, reduce emissions and maximise profitability, says Robert Ramsay, Agriculture Specialist at SAC Consulting. As part of research work for clients and its Farming for a Better...

Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) has today announced the results of a restructure to its senior team as it builds its delivery plan for the new five-year strategy launched at the Royal Highland Show in June. The restructure supports the highly-focused strategy, Scotland;...

Award winning convenience store, Pinkie Farm in Musselburgh, has partnered with Scotch Butchers Club member, The Butchery, based in Lockerbie to bring locally born, reared and processed meat to its customers. Built in 2014 on the site of the original farm, Pinkie Farm...

A dry start to the summer followed by a wet July means farmers in the North-East need to take a close look at calf nutrition in the next few months, says Steven Eddie, Ruminant Nutritionist at East Coast Viners.   “With an exceptionally dry start to the summer, grass...

Beef and lamb farmers are invited to a series of Scottish Meat the Market workshops, with the first event focusing on beef.    These events, organised by Quality Meat Scotland, aim to guide beef and lamb producers, offering industry knowledge about target...

A new president has been elected to the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland (IAAS). Alan Hutcheon, who has over 40 years’ experience in the industry as an auctioneer and in livestock market management, assumes the role from Donald Young at the end of...

A cutting-edge new digital forecasting tool to maximise planning and profitability for soft fruit growers will launch to market in 2024 thanks to £2.8m capital raised from private investors, Ceres Agritech and Innovate UK through its investor partnership programme.  ...

Throughout this year, farmers have battled with the weather. Depending on the location, autumn was either too dry and grass weeds didn’t chit, or too wet to travel. In spring, wet weather dominated the early part of the season, only to turn dry when crops needed a...

Issues caused by cover crops and sheep, weeds and agri-environment schemes were big topics of discussion at the latest Monitor Farm meeting at Castleton Farm in East Lothian. The 164ha arable unit near North Berwick is farmed by Stuart McNicol alongside his father...

A content and communications agency specialising in agriculture and environmental science has this week become B Corp certified in recognition of its commitment to people and the environment.   The Ad Plain (TAP) predominantly works in digital communications for a...

Interest in a landmark sustainability programme for beef and sheep farmers demonstrates the farming industry's determination to reduce farm-originating greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). All 350 places on offer for ABP’s PRISM 2030 (Programme for the Improvement in...

Sustainable parasite control in sheep and cattle, selecting the best type of suckler cow and making the most of grass were key topics at the summer meeting of the Argyllshire Monitor Farm on Islay. One of nine Monitor Farms across Scotland, Craig and Petra Archibald...

Honesty®, the new liquid tuber treatment from BASF is approved for use on all potato crops and provides strong broad spectrum disease control. Luke Pollard (BASF Campaign Manager Speciality Crops) said, “Honesty contains Xemium (fluxapyroxad) an SDHI fungicide which...

After graduating as an accountant, Claire Pollock returned to the family farm to support her family and future development of their business.  The Pollock family always enjoyed farming and plans to keep the business viable led to changes in production methods, aiming...

The Oxford Farming Conference (OFC), the UK’s leading agricultural, business and food event, is calling for three new individuals to help shape the future of the organisation. OFC is run by a group of voluntary Directors who identify the theme, speakers, sessions and...

According to the latest market commentary from Quality Meat Scotland (QMS). In July, the USDA updated its global beef and pork market forecasts, which pointed to slightly tighter market balances in both sectors. However, the domestic beef market is no longer...

Animal nutrition and grain business, East Coast Viners, have become the first company in Scotland to operate a fully automated Tornum grain dryer. The family-run feed milling business which operates from Stonehaven, grows and dries their own grain, as well as sourcing...

Stock health plans, managing ewes for a successful 2024 lambing, soils, rotational grazing and water shortages were key points discussed at an information-packed Dumfriesshire Monitor Farm summer meeting. More than 80 visitors heard how Monitor Farmer Richard...

With the ongoing success of the Lamb for St Andrew’s Day campaign run by the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland (IAAS), auctioneers are once again calling on farmers to support the project that has seen over 65,000 school children cook and eat Scotch...

LEAF Open Farm Sunday 2023 results: 257 farms opened welcoming 170,900 visitors 89% said that visiting a farm has encouraged them to buy more British food 87% said it has increased their trust in British farming 88% reported they learnt something new about farming 72%...

Just days after the world’s hottest day on record, BASF revealed interim results  for Project Fortress – an on-farm five-year trial exploring strategies to increase resilience to the impacts and challenges of climate change. Project Fortress is hosted at The Grange...

Doddie Weir’s legacy as a campaigner for a better understanding of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) put the disease and fundraising into vital research firmly into the spotlight. Doddie founded the My Name’5 Doddie Foundation charity – the five coming for the number of his...

A recent BASF survey of break crop growers across the UK  demonstrated that growers continue to appreciate the impact these crops have on their rotations and are willing to invest in them. Oilseed rape, the most widely grown break crop Oilseed rape (OSR) was the most...

Ringlink’s pre-apprenticeship for 16–21-year-olds has been remarkably successful at attracting new recruits, with almost half of the trainees having no previous agricultural background. The Land-based Pre-apprenticeship is a vocational pathway for school leavers or...

On Friday 26th May, former Turriff Show President and farmer, Graeme Mackie, from Little Hilton Farm, visited Monquhitter Primary School and met pupils from the school’s Friday Eco-group to plant potatoes, locally known in the Doric as tatties, in time to harvest at...

This summer on Sunday 30th and Monday 31st July, The Scottish Ryeland National and The Aberdeen-Angus Society’s Summer National will be hosted by north east’s two-day agricultural event, Turriff Show.   Robert Gilchrist, Chief Executive Officer of The Aberdeen-Angus...

Turriff Show’s wholesome EQ Food and Drink pavilion, sponsored by EQ Chartered Accountants, will be the heart to some of the finest Scottish local food and drink producers in the region. This year the pavilion has been extended to welcome over 40 local exhibitors...

Organisers of Scotland’s largest two-day agricultural event have confirmed high numbers of livestock entries for the Turriff Show’s 1,554 classes which range from best cattle, sheep, and horses, through to dogs, rabbits and cavies.  Turriff Show, which will take place...

Crop rotations have proved critical to improving soil structure and reducing weed burden for five northeast farmers, who have come to the end of a five-year knowledge exchange programme, looking at enhancing farm soils.   The Soil Regenerative Agriculture Group (SRAG)...

Laurence J Betts Ltd (LJ Betts), grower of premium salads since 1930, has been acquired by the Regan family who are the owners of Hugh Lowe Farms Ltd, a neighbouring berry growing business in Kent, and of Blaise Plants Ltd, a plant propagator. Stephen Betts will step...

Matthew and Lloyd Smith from F Smith and Sons, Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire have been announced as the winners of the 2023 Rawcliffe Bridge Award for Sustainability. Now in its second year, the accolade celebrates individuals and businesses that deliver on all three...

Joel Johnson has been appointed Agricultural Solutions Business Director for the UK and Ireland. The role was formally managed by Neil Kay, who was promoted to Vice President for Agricultural Solutions for EMEA West earlier this year. Joel joined BASF in 2006 as an...

The UK’s only two-day on-farm regenerative agriculture conference, Groundswell, sold out for another year, attracting over 6500 attendees, with 75% either directly farming or involved in a farming enterprise.    With over 100 sessions and 200 speakers, from across the...

Following a successful showcase at the Royal Highland Show which culminated with a celebration of the RHASS Presidential Initiative’s ‘The Science of food & drink’ series, the team have reflected on the ten brilliant case studies which have been uncovered over the...

When it comes to creating a healthy ecosystem rich in biodiversity with fully functioning soils, nature nails it. So why do we fight her? When I first started farming, I had a ‘low capital approach’. Simply put, I couldn’t afford a to buy a farm and spend lots of...

Last year I headed to Groundswell Festival, searching for tips on how to sustain and regenerate the family farm I’ve been involved in for 40 years. I’d known of this popular regenerative agricultural festival for years but Hertfordshire is a long way from Fife. When I...

Amidst the ongoing debate on future agricultural and land use in Scotland, integrating trees on farms is a topic that is receiving increasing attention. There are many great examples of farmers and crofters who are leading the way, from Fife to Highland Perthshire,...

For one Fife farm, working with AHDB to gather scientific data behind its regenerative farming approaches is set to pay dividends both financially and environmentally.     Balbirnie Home Farms has been working with AHDB over the last three years as its Strategic...

The award-winning farm carbon calculator, Agrecalc, will be launching its state-of-the-art version of the platform – Agrecalc Cloud – at this year’s Royal Highland Show. One of the first carbon calculators to enter the market when it launched in 2007, Agrecalc has...

Family-run animal feed mill and nutrition specialists, East Coast Viners, has pledged to raise £10,000 for Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) in the charity’s 10th year. This will kickstart at the agricultural shows throughout the summer, including the Royal...

With fertiliser prices beginning to drop to more manageable levels, farmers are being urged not to fall back into old habits and to think carefully about the ‘why, where and what’ they are spreading on to their fields. During 2022, The Farming For a Better Climate...

A vaccine developed by Scottish scientists which has transformed herd and flock health for farmers across the world over the last 25 years is being brought into focus as part of the RHASS Presidents’ Initiative. The penultimate case study for the RHASS Presidents’...

ABP has today announced the acquisition of the Bridge of Allan abattoir and Queenslie meat packing plant in Scotland from Scotbeef. The two facilities will now become part of the company’s UK meat division which also includes an existing processing facility in Perth,...

This year, farmers welcomed over 170,000 people onto farms across Britain on Sunday 11th June. Every event was unique, showcasing the whole industry, from arable, horticulture, livestock and agro-forestry to the science and technology involved. Farmer shared the same...

The principles of redesigning agricultural systems to regenerate soils, biodiversity and the bottom line are the same no matter where you are in the world.  It is how we interpret and apply them which changes, and this is what Groundswell is all about – exploring the...

State-of-the-art technology which measures greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in sheep, will be on display at a special event in the heart of Speyside, this July. David and Susan Johnstone, who manage Ballindalloch Home Farm, are to play host to a day of discussion and...

Jane Craigie Marketing (JCM) has strengthened its team, once again, with the appointment of Helen Cork, who joins the agrifood and rural marketing agency as an Account Manager, following a successful career with the NFU, the Scottish Rural Payments Agency (SGRPID) and...

Since the Second World War, we’ve bought in a bag and killed in a field to produce as much as possible from an acre of land. Although still core to what we grow, we’ve side-lined the soil in the race, and it’s costing us.   Going back to whole systems at Balbirnie...

Innovations in technology such as automated weighing platforms have proved a gamechanger for Scotland’s beef finishing sector, improving data collection, driving better management decisions and boosting overall performance. This is the eighth in a series of case...

More than 220 people, from the Isle of Wight to Yorkshire, joined the Green Farm Collective (GFC), at its second Open Day in Boningale, Shropshire, to learn how farmers can alter practices and return nutrients to the soil, food and ourselves. The GFC is a group of...

Arbikie Highland Estate in Angus is leading the way in the decarbonisation of the global drinks sector, with their game-changing pea-based gin Nàdar, setting the tone for a sustainable supply chain for other distillers to follow. This is the seventh in a series of...

Revystar® XE (Revysol® + Xemium®), the proven and reliable cereal fungicide from BASF is now available, through label extension, for use in sugar beet. A welcome new addition to the sugar beet fungicide armoury, Revystar® XE gives excellent long-lasting control of the...

The 2024 Oxford Farming Conference (OFC) will be exploring the Power of Diversity in all its guises within the agrifood sector and wider rural economy. People, crop rotations, species genetics, food and farming systems, nations, politics and business structures. The...

It’s been a difficult spring but as warm weather settles in across the UK, combinable crops have turned a corner. We catch up with three growers to find out how their crops are looking: Edward Vipond, Suffolk Farm manager at Troston Farms in Suffolk, Edward Vipond, is...

The Turriff Show Ladies’ Day Committee will host their annual charity event in the run up to the 159th Turriff Show which takes place on Sunday the 30th & Monday the 31st of July 2023. Ladies’ day Committee Chair Fiona Gray said “The event, “Divas in the Den” will...

A new regenerative farming event will be held in Scotland this summer. GO Falkland, hosted on the Falkland Estate in Fife, will bring together speakers from across agriculture, agroforestry, soil biology and food provision, to create a one-day discussion forum for...

The newly announced programme at Groundswell Festival includes sessions that teach the basic principles and advanced long-form sessions on practical techniques. The event, which takes place at Lannock Manor Farm in Hertfordshire on Wednesday 28th to Thursday 29th June...

In recent years, an increasing number of arable farmers from the East Coast of Scotland who have not kept livestock for some time, have returned to our markets to purchase store cattle to help restore soil health on their farms. With the price of fertiliser rocketing...

A farm in the north-east of Scotland is experimenting with growing alternative crops, including nutrient-dense microgreens and vanilla, as part of its diversification to fill a fallow time of year. The 300-acre Waterside Farm, which grows wheat, barley, rye for...

The gates open for the 2023 Turriff Show on Sunday 30 to Monday 31 July 2023. The event has become renowned throughout the UK as a vibrant show that celebrates the best of the region’s farming, food and heritage. The Show’s principal sponsor, once again, is...

The gates open again for the 2023 Turriff Show on Sunday 30 to Monday 31 July 2023. The event has become renowned throughout the UK as a vibrant show that celebrates the best of the region’s farming, food and heritage. The Show is Scotland’s largest two-day...

Every summer, Scottish Agronomy, Scotland's leading independent agronomy advice service, recruits four students to its trials team to help over the busy harvest period. As well as giving the cooperative valuable support during its peak period, this gives students,...

Groundswell Festival provides a forum for farmers, growers and anyone interested in food production and the environment to learn about the theory and practical applications of regenerative farming systems. Now in its eighth year, the event will bring together over 200...

On a sunny Spring evening in the heart of the Cotswolds, a chef, NGOs, civil servants, educators and farmers came together to share food and perspectives at a dinner to discuss the future of sustainable food and farming. The dialogue was intended as a proactive call...

For the first time in the UK, new easyconnect caps will be available to growers on BASF’s oilseed rape crop protection products from autumn 2023. These caps enable the use of the easyconnect Closed Transfer System (CTS) and mark a milestone in UK agriculture, as new...

A new project to enhance food safety in potato crisp production has started between Abertay University and Perthshire-based Taylors Snacks. Focusing on minimising acrylamide, a natural chemical compound that can form in starchy foods when cooked at high temperatures,...

With the agricultural industry continuing to look for ways to build trust and relationships with the consumer, one grower from Lincolnshire is encouraging farmers to apply for a new award that has helped him build connections, bridging the gap between food and...

Despite widespread support across the sector, biopesticides aren’t yet realising their potential and stakeholders found out why, at a recent webinar hosted by Fera Science. From the challenges of formulating new regulation and developing meaningful ecotoxicity...

Whether you’re a seasoned grower or you have just added winter beans to your rotation, the new Bean Growth Guide has been developed to help you make the most from the crop. The free resource is the result of a collaboration between PGRO, ADAS and BASF, and brings...

With lush crops of barley easy to find this year, growers will be keen to manage their crops to ensure they reach their maximum yield and quality potential. To help achieve this, both winter and spring crops should be treated with robust PGRs to ensure an optimum ear...

Monitor crops closely and consider protective chocolate spot treatments this spring, farmers are warned, as conditions are conductive for the development of winter beans’ most destructive disease. Early drilling and harsh winter weather combined with cool wet...

Routinely treating sheep and cattle for liver fluke has led to overuse of treatments, increased resistance and costs to farmers and the environment which could be avoided through testing. A seasonal study carried out on Islay, has demonstrated that treating ‘as little...

Five years on from hosting Farming For A Better Climate (FFBC)’s pilot project, Montrose farmer Willie Officer has seen the results of a changed approach to some on-farm practices to see yields improve and input costs reduce. Farming 900 acres of all arable, including...

Chemistry is fast disappearing from farming’s toolbox, but researchers and farmers are working together to trial and demonstrate alternative solutions to protect the high health status of Scotland’s seed potato industry. The third in a series of case studies,...

BASF’s Farming, the biggest job on earth podcast highlights call from charity for farmers to join ‘Surplus for Purpose’ food redistribution campaign Latest podcast shines spotlight on food poverty hearing from farmers and charities who repurpose surplus food to those...

AM Fresh is one of a number of companies who have taken on apprentices who have swapped their established career paths to join the fresh produce industry. With the launch of MDS’ Leadership and Management scheme last year, which offers apprenticeships in the food...

A series of events to demystify and spark fresh discussion and debate on the benefits of peatland restoration for land managers and local communities will take place across Scotland between 6th and 23rd March. The Peatland Restoration Roadshow, hosted by Scotland’s...

Over 100 farmers from the Borders to Aberdeenshire attended a ‘show and tell’ event on a farm in Angus, to find out more about practically integrating regenerative practices into their own farming businesses. The Soil Regenerative Open Day was hosted by potato farmer,...

New ADAS research shows how fungicide programmes can be adapted to mitigate yield loss from Septoria when variety RL score is reduced. Previous trials revealed how crops sown 23rd September or earlier are at a significantly higher disease risk from Septoria than their...

Scientists at the James Hutton Institute (JHI) are playing a critical role in helping farmers to develop more resilient and sustainable blackcurrant crops. The second in a new series of case studies, developed as part of the RHASS Presidential Initiative (PI), will...

Will Jones, Farm Manager of Albanwise Farming Ltd North Yorkshire Estate has won the YEN OSR Beauty Contest, sponsored by BASF, with a crop of Aurelia. Launched in 2020, the competition puts a spotlight on a crucial yet challenging phase of the crops development, and...

The latest market analysis shows a 20% uplift in liveweight lamb prices in Scotland’s auction markets in November, for a second year in a row, believed to be on the back of the industry initiative, Lamb for St Andrew’s Day. In its support of the Scottish sheep sector,...