Agri Culture

Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by Stephanie Berkeley from the Farm Safety Foundation 

Stephanie Berkeley is Manager of the Farm Safety Foundation, which you might know also as Yellow Wellies.  The Farm Safety Foundation was established in 2014 with the aim of improving farm safety in the UK.  The Foundation runs successful campaigns such as Farm Safety week and educates young farmers across the UK in colleges and young farmer clubs.  Stephanie talks to us about the importance of the charity, and resources available to all farmers.  

If you’d like to get in touch or find out more about The Farm Safety Foundation and sources of support you can find links in the show notes.  This episode was presented by Mary-Jane Lawrie edited by Cameron Waugh and produced by Kerry Hammond, in association with the Scottish Government. 

Resources 

Farm Safety Foundation / Yellow Wellies - YellowWellies.org 

LittleBookOfFarmSafety_1stEdition_0624.pdf (yellowwellies.org) 

Build your Own Health & Safety Policy Digital Tool (yellowwellies.org) 

Farm-Emergency-Plan-Template_1020.pdf (yellowwellies.org) 

LittleBookOfMindingYourHead_10YearEdition_0424.pdf (yellowwellies.org) 

Farmstrong-Scotland-Leaflet-Five-Steps-to-Wellbeing-FINAL.pdf (farmstrongscotland.org.uk) 

Access to Work: get support if you have a disability or health condition: What Access to Work is - GOV.UK 

Hear our other episode on Farm Safety, 'Jim Chapman: Adapting to Life After an Accident' here

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 

Twitter: @FASScot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected] 

In this episode, Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by Cathy Magee from Dyslexia Scotland.

Cathy Magee is the chief executive of Dyslexia Scotland.  We talked about what dyslexia is, how it can affect you, and how to go about getting an assessment.  Dyslexia Scotland have a range of resources available to support people with dyslexia. Cathy also tells us about the technologies and adaptations that might be helpful for people with dyslexia.  RSABI have partnered with Dyslexia Scotland to offer free dyslexia assessments to farmers and crofters.  We also talked about the ways that dyslexia might make some aspects of farming challenging but also has some benefits in the way that people think and work in different ways. 

Resources

To arrange a free assessment, which typically costs around £500, people involved in farming or crofting in Scotland should contact RSABI’s 24-hour freephone helpline - 0808 1234 555.

Dyslexia Scotland Helpline: 0344 800 84 84

Assessing dyslexia in adults (youtube.com)

Library | Dyslexia Scotland - Dyslexia Scotland

Post-assessment pack for adults | Dyslexia Scotland -Dyslexia Scotland

Access to Work: get support if you have a disability or health condition: What Access to Work is - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

For more information,

visit www.FAS.scot

Twitter: @FASScot

Facebook: @FASScot

National Advice Hub

Phone: 0300 323 0161

Email: [email protected]

Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by Pete Black of Collessie Feeds and Newton of Colessie Farm. 

Pete Black farms at Newton of Collessie with his parents and brother.  They run a successful diversified farming business with arable, commercial cattle, pedigree sheep and Clydesdales, alongside Collessie Feeds.  We chatted about the farm business and the various enterprises and the family’s time on This Farming Life.  Whilst appearing on This Farming Life Pete mentioned that he had dyslexia which led to him becoming an ambassador for RSABI to help them promote their dyslexia in farming campaign.  Pete talks openly about how dyslexia affects his day-to-day life and how he has adapted to find ways to make running his business easier.   

To arrange a free dyslexia assessment, which typically costs around £500, people involved in farming or crofting in Scotland should contact RSABI’s 24-hour freephone Helpline - 0808 1234 555 

Resources 

Collessie Feeds - Pro-Equine Ltd 

To arrange a free dyslexia assessment, which typically costs around £500, people involved in farming or crofting in Scotland should contact RSABI’s 24-hour freephone Helpline - 0808 1234 555 Home - RSABI 

Dyslexia ScotlandDyslexia Scotland - Empowering people with dyslexia to reach their full potential 

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 

Twitter: @FASScot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected] 

Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by Fred Swift from South Clunes Farm and Highland Clip, and Stella Stewart from Anta.  

Fred Swift farms South Clunes Farm near Inverness in the Highlands with his wife Sofi and his father.  They run a traditional upland farm with cattle and sheep.  Fred and his family have transformed the farm over the last 40 years, increasing biodiversity and introducing mob grazing.  He was looking for an opportunity to add value to the wool from his sheep, and together with Scottish luxury brand Anta, they established the Highland Clip.  The Highland Clip is working to add value to wool, whilst also creating a fully traceable product, which is important to Anta.  Stella Stewart, a director of Anta, tells us why traceable wool and working with South Clunes is important to their business.   

Resources 

FAS TV: S2 E9 –South Clunes Farm Cluster (youtube.com) 

History of the farm | South Clunes Farm | Inverness 

Luxury Home Furnishings & Gifts Made in Scotland | ANTA 

Protecting Highland Wool – ANTA 

For more information, visit www.fas.scot

Twitter: @FASScot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected] 

Mary-Jane Lawrie visits Whitriggs Farm in the Scottish Borders to speak to Lesley Mitchell.  They chat about the family farm and how it has evolved over the years, their openness to challenges and change, and how that has allowed Lesley and her family to build a business that supports the family whilst also allowing a good work life balance.  Once key change has been converting the business to organic and following a more regenerative agriculture approach, which has required a change in mindset.  The farm now runs cattle and deer alongside their organic arable enterprise, making the most of their skills, time and farm assets.  Lesley also talks about how she personally makes time for learning, which recently resulted in a trip to Antartica. 

FAS Resources  

Organics

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 

Twitter: @FASScot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected] 

I'm Mary-Jane Lawrie, and in this episode I’m joined Claire Taylor.  Claire is a journalist and describes herself as an agricultural communicator.  She has recently finished her travels as part of her Nuffield Farming Scholarship and is now in the process of compiling all the information from her travels.  We talk about her career and how that led her to applying for the scholarship, what she learned from it, and how we, as farmers, can work together to engage with the public to tell positive farming stories. She shares with us some of her amazing experiences from her travels and gives us a real insight into what farming is like in other countries.

Warning: This episode contains themes of political unrest, suicide, gender-based violence and murder. Listen with caution.

Resources

Nuffield Farming Scholarships - https://www.nuffieldscholar.org/ 

Claire Taylor Linkedin https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-taylor-4135714a/

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot

Twitter: @FASScot

Facebook: @FASScot

National Advice Hub

Phone: 0300 323 0161

Email: [email protected]

Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by Jenn Stewart.  Jenn Stewart, partner & Head of Rural and Landed Estates at Johnston Carmichael, joined the company in 2019. Jenn has extensive experience in advising owner managed businesses and provides counsel to a wide-ranging portfolio of clients across multiple sectors. Jenn was brought up in her own family farming business and is now involved in her husband’s farming business. Jenn talks to us about the topic and theme of succession. A succession plan provides a level of certainty for everyone to ensure the ongoing sustainability and financial sustainability of the business, therefore the earlier this topic is brought to the table the better.   

Related FAS Resources  

You can get funding for succession planning through FAS.  See Specialist Advice | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot)  

Other Resources  

Johnston Carmichael | Chartered Accountants  

Jenn Stewart LinkedIn  Jenn Stewart - Partner, Head of Rural & Landed Estates & Dundee Office Head - Johnston Carmichael Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers | LinkedIn  

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 

Twitter: @FASScot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected] 

Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by Kirsten Williams.  Kirsten is a livestock specialist with SAC Consulting and she also runs a farm business on Ranna Farm in Aberdeenshire with her husband Ross.  They have sheep, cattle, and a turkey enterprise on their rented farm.  They were new entrants, working hard to secure a tenancy and build up their business to support them and their family.  Kirsten has a really positive outlook on life and she tells us how determination and hard work have helped them succeed.    

FAS Resources  

Women in Agriculture (WiA) Discussion Group at Farm Advisory Scotland (fas.scot) 

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 

Twitter: @FASScot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected] 

Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by some of the team at Glenrinnes Estate at the foot of Ben Rinnes in Moray.  Estate manager Ali Laing tells us about the estate as a whole, and we are joined by head keeper Gordon Aitchison, distillery manager Martin Peroni, trainee farm worker Alex Shearer and head gardener Damon Powell.  They all share their stories of working on Glenrinnes Estate and how their skills and enthusiasm come together to help run a successful community focused Scottish Estate.     

Other Resources  

Glenrinnes Organic Estate 

Eight Lands Organic Spirits (eight-lands.com)  

Pre-Apprenticeship | Ringlink Scotland 

 For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 

Twitter: @FASScot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email:  [email protected] 

Mary-Jane Lawrie talks to John Scott and Jock Gibson from Farmstrong Scotland.  Farmstrong Scotland is a new initiative which is inspired by Farmstrong New Zealand and Doug Avery’s visit to Scotland a couple of years ago.  John and Jock tell us what Farmstrong is, why they want to be involved in it, what wellbeing means to them, and give examples of how they implement Farmstrong’s five steps to wellbeing in their own lives.   

FAS Resources  

Mental Health and Wellbeing in Agriculture | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot) 

What's Stopping You - Wellbeing | Helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service (fas.scot) 

Other Resources  

Farmstrong Scotland - Live Well, Farm & Croft Well 

Step-Guide.pdf (farmstrongscotland.org.uk) 

For more information, visit  www.FAS.scot 

Twitter: @FASScot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected]