Please note: We recorded this episode while out at an event, therefore the audio quality varies throughout.

Interviewees:

Prof Sally Shorthall

Karis Beattie

Haley Shepherd

The Grass Ceiling is an EU-funded project that helps rural women become leaders in innovation—especially in farming and sustainable rural development. It runs from 2023 to 2025 and supports women across Europe through ‘Living Labs’ where they test ideas, get training, and connect with others. 

The aim is to help women to drive real change in rural communities—whether it's through eco-tourism, smart farming, or green energy projects. 

In short: it’s about lifting the “grass ceiling” so women in rural areas can grow, lead, and shape the future. 

The Scotland Living Lab is based in the Highlands and Islands, working with eight rural women innovators connected to crofting communities. It’s a partnership led by NICRE (National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise) and the Centre for Rural Economy (Newcastle University), in collaboration with the Scottish Crofting Federation. 

The Lab officially launched with a workshop in Ullapool in June 2023, bringing together women from across the Highlands & Islands.  Women share practical rural innovations, such as livestock rearing, croft diversification, wildflower seed sales, water sports ventures, and creative uses for wool.  

Related Resources

Women in Agriculture (FAS.scot)

https://www.fas.scot/rural-business/women-in-agriculture/

Glass Ceiling - The Living Lab

https://www.grassceiling.eu/living-labs/scotland/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Diversification on a Shoestring

https://www.fas.scot/article/diversification-on-a-shoestring/ 

Croftworks podcast

Croftwork Podcasts - Scottish Crofting Federation

Business support from https://www.hie.co.uk/  and https://www.scottish-enterprise.com/   

Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Kirsten Williams.  On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by Turkey Farmer Paul Kelly. In 1971, Paul’s parents started the family business, known today as ‘Kelly Turkeys’ and ‘Farmgate Hatcheries’. The cycle starts with eggs going into incubators in April for 28 days. When they hatch, they go into brooding sheds, then by 5 weeks of age they are ready to go to the woodland where they roam freely. At Kelly Turkeys they have complete control over the whole production cycle, making them very unique in the industry and one of a kind in the UK. The business has developed resilience to deal with issues like Brexit, labour, marketing and work by the motto ‘change is the name of the game’.   

Episode Timestamps  

00.31 Introducing Paul and the turkey cycle 

02.41 Inseminating vs running with stags 

03.24 Genetics and breeding lines 

09.43 Hatchery business: 1.8 million chicks a year 

12.48 Kelly turkeys: 100,000 turkeys reared through to Christmas 

18.38 Split between whole turkeys, crowns and butterflies  

27.36 Bringing resilience into the business 

33.32 Avian influenza (bird flu)  

37.44 Markets, trends and online sales 

39.09 Weighing turkeys, sources of protein (acorns!) and organic  

44.36 Succession  

46.50 Marketing and celebrity chefs!   

FAS Resources 

Poultry | Helping farmers in Scotland 

Other Resources    

Kelly Bronze Turkeys   

Farmgate Hatcheries 

New GB avian influenza wildlife interactive map and data dashboard launched | SRUC 

Avian influenza (bird flu): how to spot and report the disease - gov.scot  

For more information, visit  www.FAS.scot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected] 

In this episode, we catch up with Amelia Heath (Co-Director, Forth Rivers Trust), Clara Schade-Poulsen (Leven LENs Project Officer), and Tom Brown (Senior Programme Manager, LENs Scotland) to explore how the Leven LENs is taking shape following its launch.  

We discuss what LENs really means on the ground: how farmers and businesses are partnering to fund environmental improvements, what actions are being supported, and what’s next for this innovative approach in Scotland and beyond. 

This episode offers practical insight into how collaborative, place-based solutions are helping unlock environmental outcomes at scale to the mutual benefit of those living and operating in a landscape.  

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

Timestamps: 

0:50 – 4:56 Intro to speakers, LENs and recent developments 

4:56 – 19:44 Leven LENs , who is involved, motives and drivers  

19:44 –  29:25 How to get involved and farmer perspective  

29:25 – 40:26 Consensus and feedback so far 

40:26 – end: LENs elsewhere, sharing benefits and more info 

Related FAS resources:   

Natural Capital: https://www.fas.scot/sounds/natural-capital/  

Landscape scale conservation: https://www.fas.scot/article/landscape-scale-conservation/  

Specialist advice: https://www.fas.scot/specialist-advice/  

Other Related Resources: 

Landscape Enterprise Networks LENs: https://landscapeenterprisenetworks.com/  

LENs Impact Report: https://landscapeenterprisenetworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LENs_impact_report_2024.pdf  

Leven Catchment Collective: https://catchmentcollective.scot/  

Leven LENs funding announcement: https://www.3keel.com/news-lens-leven-funding-july-2025/  

FIRNS: https://www.nature.scot/funding-and-projects/firns-facility-investment-ready-nature-scotland  

Welcome to CropCast Conversations hosted by Mark Bowsher-Gibbs. On today’s episode Mark is joined by two guests. Grant James (Business Development Manager at Sea2Soil) discusses an organic soil improver product from Sea2Soil. Grant provides an explanation of the biological mechanisms at play in the product, how it works on-farm and what to expect from applications. Steve Townsend brings a wealth of knowledge and experience of Regenerative Agriculture. Steve advises farmers all over the UK and Europe on how No-Till can improve their business. Steve is passionate about helping farmers reduce their fixed costs, increase their crop yields and weed control whilst repairing their soils. 

Episode Timestamps  

00.55 Harvest 2025 feedback 

03.03 Steve & Soil First Farming 

04.04 Grant & Sea2Soil 

06.01 What is fish hydrolysate? 

06.46 Feeding the soil biology 

11.04 Practices to build up soil biology 

20.20 Measuring soil biology 

27.47 How different crop sectors are responding to regenerative agriculture 

32.04 Nitrogen use efficiency  

34.56 Albrecht theory 

38.40 Getting the magnesium ratio right 

41.15 Grant’s take home message 

42.00 Steve’s take home message   

FAS Resources 

Regenerative Agriculture | Helping farmers in Scotland 

Other Resources    

Organic Soil Improver - Make soil healthier & more productive | Sea2Soil  

Grant James: [email protected], 07976 879646 

Soil First Farming 

Steve Townsend: [email protected], 07989 402112  

For more information, visit  www.FAS.scot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected] 

Thrill of the Hill is back for season 6! Armed with a new team, new ideas and a range of new speakers, Alex takes on the hot topics impacting the farmed upland environment. 

Scotland’s upland farms and crofts are home to hardy cattle and sheep breeds, producing high-quality meat and supporting rural communities in some of our most challenging environments. Yet, feeding and nutrition in these landscapes can be complex, with variable forage quality, harsh weather and limited grazing options influencing livestock health, fertility and productivity. Getting nutrition right is key to maintaining body condition, improving breeding success and ensuring the long-term sustainability of hill farming systems. In this episode Dr Cara Campbell from SAC Consulting Ltd discusses the fundamentals of upland nutrition for cattle and sheep, and offers practical advice on feeding strategies around bulling and tupping to help farmers achieve the best results for their herds and flocks. 

Want to get in touch with Cara? She can be contacted at SAC Consulting Ltd via email enquiries at [email protected].

Related FAS Resources

Beef Nutrition:

https://www.fas.scot/livestock/beef-cattle/beef-nutrition/

Sheep Nutrition:

https://www.fas.scot/livestock/sheep/nutrition/

In this episode Tiffany Stephenson is joined by Kristina Grenz, Senior Cereal Product Quality Scientist at AHDB, to discuss ergot, which proved to be a significant problem for many growers during harvest 2024. In this episode we discuss the ergot life cycle, symptoms as well as top management tips. 

Welcome to Cropcast, your go to podcast for all the latest information on arable crops. Each month, SAC advisor, Tiffany Stephenson will be joined by a range of industry experts, bringing you timely updates to help you make decisions in the field. 

Producer George Gauley, Editor Cameron Waugh, Executive Producer Kirstyn Blackwood, in association with the Scottish Government. 

Related Resources

AHDB – Ergot management guidance for cereals - https://ahdb.org.uk/news/ergot-management-guidance-for-cereals-strengthened-by-review 

AHDB – An introduction to Ergot & its management in cereals https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/an-introduction-to-ergot-and-its-management-in-cereals 

FAS – Ergot – What is it and how to prevent it? https://www.fas.scot/article/ergot-what-it-is-and-how-to-prevent-it/ 

AHDB- Ergot in harvest 2024 https://ahdb.org.uk/news/ergot-in-harvest-2024-cereals-a-pathologist-s-paradise-a-supply-chain-challenge 

AIC – Ergot in cereal crops https://www.agindustries.org.uk/resource/ergot-in-cereal-crops-contracts-legislation-and-effective-management-frequently-asked-questions-faqs.html 

Welcome back to the Rural Round-up. On today’s episode George Chalmers introduces Mary-Jane Lawrie, who will be sitting in for Tiffany Stephenson, while on maternity leave. Topics of discussion include, extreme weather, FFIS updates and cross compliance reminders, which includes useful tips on hedge management. 

FAS Resources 

FAS Website – Responding to changing weather https://www.fas.scot/responding-to-changing-weather/ 

FFIS Scheme Guidance - https://www.ruralpayments.org/topics/all-schemes/ffis/future-farm-investment-scheme/ 

Other Resources  

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 Liz Haines to talk about her lived experience of being neurodivergent and working in agriculture.  Liz tells us about her background in farming and how she and her husband became new entrants to agriculture.  Liz shares some of her systems and process that help her run their successful dairy farm since being diagnosed with ADHD in 2022.  This diagnosis led her to pursue a Nuffield scholarship.  She has travelled the world to study neurodiversity in agriculture, and she shares with us her learnings, and how we can help and support neurodiverse people in our agricultural industry.   

Thanks for joining us for this episode of Agri Culture. If you’d like to get in touch or find out more about the ‘Level The Field’ campaign, you can find more information in the show notes.  You may also want to listen to the two Agri Culture podcast episodes on dyslexia.  This episode was presented by me Mary-Jane Lawrie, produced by Kerry Hammond and edited by Cameron Waugh, in association with the Scottish Government.  

Resources 

Level the field - Farmers Weekly 

BBC Two - Inside Our Minds 

Agricultural Studies | Nuffield Farming Scholarships 

Agri Culture - Cathy Magee: Delving into Dyslexia | FAS 

Agri Culture - Pete Black: The Superpower of Dyslexia | FAS 

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 

Twitter: @FASScot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected] 

Along with our regular monthly updates on policy, cereals, beef, sheep and milk, in this edition we also have a spotlight on Selling Your Farm: what you need to have in place.

Show Notes

00:38 News in Brief

04:16 Policy Briefs – Future Farming Investment Scheme (FFIS), Community right to buy, Knowledge Transfer Innovation Fund (KTIF), Peatland Training Fund, Next Generation Practical Training Fund, Agricultural Household Survey, Key Dates.

13:56 Cereals – latest arable news and market update

22:37 Beef –Beef prices and supply, Store cattle demand and supply, Cull cow trade

27:13 Sheep – New season lamb trade, Imports and Exports

30:23 Milk – Milk production data, Farm-gate prices, Dairy commodities and market indicators, Grass growth and quality, How do you measure up? 

35:54 Sector focus –Selling Your Farm – the benefits of doing some ground work before looking to sell your farm.

41:16 Further articles – Tax and Succession Planning, Challenges and opportunities facing the beef industry, Dairy – How do you measure up?, Rural Roundup – Inheritance Tax and Succession planning.

FAS Resources:

Newsletters- Business & Policy Edition - Farm Advisory Service

Other Links:

AHDB  - predicting beef demand as retail prices rise

Future Farm Investment Scheme full guidance

Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003

Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015

Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016

Community right tobuy: review - Scottish Government consultations - Citizen Space

Leriche’s air Còir-cheannaich Coimhearsnachd co-chomhairle

Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund - Rural Payments and Services

Peatland Training Fund- Skills Hub Scotland

Peatland Training Fund | Lantra - Scotland

Next Generation Practical Training Fund - Skills Hub Scotland

Kingshay - Dairy Costings Focus Report 2025

Scotland's Land Information Service

Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS)

Home Report

Energy Performance Certificate

Inheritance Tax & Succession | Helping farmers in Scotland

FAS TV - developing a more resilient beef finishing enterprise

Kingshay - Dairy Costings Focus Report 2025

FAS - FMH October 2024 - Dairying

FAS podcast - Rural Roundup - Autumn budget 2024

FAS TV - FFIS - Farmers

FAS TV - FFIS - Crofters

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot

Facebook: @FASScot

National Advice Hub

Phone: 0300 323 0161

Email: [email protected]

Thinking of diversification projects on the croft?  Hear from two entrepreneurs who have set up shops, campsites and tours in Uist, and are managing to bring in tourists and have a healthy footfall.  They discuss the issues with funding on croftland, ferries, finishing animals, abattoirs, Instagram posts, Scottish Agritourism, and Enterprise agency support. 

Anne MacLellan runs Balranald Campsite, the Dunes Cabin, a catering business, a new self-service vending machine with fresh veg and fish, and a self-catering cottage and a pod.  Lyndsay Robertson and DJ run Long Island Retreats, with a shop of local and islands produce and offer immersive tours of the croft and machair to UK and international travellers.  

Related FAS Resources

https://www.fas.scot/article/diversification-on-a-shoestring/

FAS TV Series 5 Episode 9 - Supporting Crofting with Diversification - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrYYHOqkQbI

Other Related Resources

Business support from:

https://www.hie.co.uk/

https://www.scottish-enterprise.com/