Along with our regular monthly updates on policy, cereals, beef, sheep and milk, in this edition we also have a spotlight on the UK Autumn Budget and its impacts on Scottish Agriculture.  

Show Notes  

00:41 News in Brief 

06:33 Policy Briefs – Future Farming Investment Scheme, Land Reform (Scotland) Bill, Scotland’s Climate Change Plan to 2040, Council Tax Reforms, QMS Cattle and Sheep Assurance Scheme Standards 

15:15 Cereals – latest arable news and market update  

23:24 Beef – latest beef news and market update  

27:05 Sheep – latest sheep news and market update 

32:26 Milk – Milk Production Data, Farm-gate Prices, Dairy Commodities and Market Indicators, Dairy Exports, Winter Lighting Systems, Organic Milk 

40:48 Sector focus – overview of the UK Autumn Budget and its impacts on Scottish Agriculture. 

47:07 Further articles – FAS 12 Days of Christmas, Achieving Net Zero in Beef Farming (FAS TV) and Looking After Yourself (FAS Podcast)  

Links and Resources: 

Newsletters - Business & Policy Edition - Farm Advisory Service   

Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025 

Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) 

SRUC’s research (how to improve the lives of animals) 

Climate Change Plan to 2040 

A consultation on the Draft Climate Change Plan 

Future of council tax in Scotland: consultation - gov.scot 

QMS Cattle and Sheep Standards 

Cattle and Sheep Assurance scheme - what's changed 

Sheep Producers Intentions Survey - Meat and Livestock Australia 

Tesco Christmas Trend Report for 2025 

Office for Budget Responsibility’s report 

The 12 Days of Christmas | Helping farmers in Scotland 

FAS TV Series - Net Zero on Beef Farms 

RSABI Health Hut  

NHS Inform  

Rural Roundup podcast - Mens Health Month  

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected] 

Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Kirsten Williams.  On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by two industry experts to discuss the beef industry. It’s a lively discussion covering many topics, including: replacement strategies, where the market is it at just now, sustainability and the future of the Scottish herd.  

Gavin Hill is a Senior Beef Specialist with SAC Consulting and Robet Gilchrist is Chief Executive of the Aberdeen-Angus Society.  

Episode Timestamps  

02.30 Cattle replacement strategies  

10.03 Where should the end price be? 

13.26 Changing eating behaviours and changes in the industry 

17.05 Future of the Scottish herd  

27.45 Cow of the future  

43.08 Matching the sire  

50.07 What will the Scottish beef industry look like in the next 10-20 years  

Resources    

Livestock resources for farmers from Farm Advisory Service 

Cattle resources for farmers from Farm Advisory Service | FAS 

Sustainable Beef Systems | Helping farmers in Scotland  

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected] 

Galloway and Southern Ayrshire is Scotland’s first UNESCO Biosphere which promotes a balanced relationship between people and the natural environment. Built on partnership, community action, innovation and learning, the Biosphere supports thriving, sustainable communities living in harmony with nature.  

In this episode, we’re joined by Nature Recovery Manager Dr Anna Griffin and Natural Capital Officer Jonathan Olandi to explore the work of the Biosphere and introduce their new project, OPIN (On-farm Plans Integrated with Nature). This initiative will recruit 12 farms across the Biosphere in Dumfries and Galloway to take part in a five-year programme focused on whole-farm planning and farming resilience. We discuss how land managers can get involved, the benefits of participation, and the support available, including access to a robust suite of tools, data, and capital grant funding, that will help implement strategic land management actions that are good for natural capital and good for business.  

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

Timestamps: 

1:04 – 9:00 Intro to speakers and Biosphere 

9:00 – 14:30 Reasons for the designation and previous projects delivered 

14:30 – 30:30 The OPIN project 

30:30 – 50:00 Benefits for land managers and how to get involved 

Related FAS resources:   

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

Biodiversity: https://www.fas.scot/environment/biodiversity/  

Other Related Resources: 

Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere: https://www.gsabiosphere.org.uk/  

To apply or for more information: https://www.gsabiosphere.org.uk/contact-us/  

Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal: https://www.borderlandsgrowth.com/ 

In this episode George Chalmers is joined by Edward Jones, who is a Sustainable Farming Advisor at Frontier Agriculture to discuss cover crops.  

Welcome to CropCast, your go to podcast for all the latest information on arable crops. Each month, SAC advisor, George Chalmers 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. 

Time codes 

04:13 Definitions of green manure, cover crops & catch crops 

09:14 Potential benefits 

12:24 New species available 

14:15 Different species for different areas 

20:03 Considerations when choosing a crop 

24:14 Greening 2026 

28:40 Establishment 

33:46 Potential uses with livestock 

36:00 Seeds suitable for broadcasting 

39:19 Three top tips 

Linked FAS Resources  

FAS Crops & Soils https://www.fas.scot/crops-soils/  

EFA Greening 2026 https://www.fas.scot/preparing-for-the-future/

Other Linked Resources

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ed-jones-931725133?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app  

Clinkstone – Companion Crops & autumn cover crops in a min-till system https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw5xnHdsaEw  

Cover Crop Guide: https://covercropsguide.co.uk/ 

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.   

Organic farming is woven through Scotland’s landscapes, from the rolling fields of Aberdeenshire to the upland pastures of Argyll. Rooted in principles of soil health, biodiversity and local resilience, organic systems work with nature rather than against it—building fertility through crop rotations, clover leys and composts, and managing pests with balance instead of chemicals. The result is more than just food without synthetic inputs; it’s a way of farming that supports wildlife, protects water and strengthens rural communities. From certified producers under the Scottish Organic Producers Association (SOPA) to advisory work led by the Soil Association, organic farming in Scotland continues to evolve, combining tradition, innovation and environmental stewardship to meet the challenges of modern agriculture.   

In this episode, we sit down with two special guest speakers, Debs Roberts joins us from SOPA and David MacKay joins us from the Soil Association to walk us through the benefits of going organic, the process and how the market is developing in Scotland and further afield - in a conversation that is more collaboration than clash of the titans. We also talk about the announced return of the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) and David reflects on his time at Scotland's first Nature Friendly Farming Summit.    

Want to get in touch with Debs or David? Contact SOPA via telephone at 0300 7729795 or email at [email protected]. Contact Soil Association via telephone at 0131 3708150 or email at [email protected]. 

Related FAS Resources

Organics Discussion Group from the Farm Advisory Service

Related Other Resources

Scottish Organic Producers Association (SOPA)

Soil Association

Welcome back to the Rural Roundup. On today’s episode George Chalmers and Mary-Jane Lawrie discuss men’s health month with RSABI hut coordinator Rebecca Mackie and Health Hut nurse, Irene Scott. 

Time Stamps

00:26 What’s going on with George & Mary-Jane 

03:10 Future Farm Investment Scheme (FFIS) 

05:30 Preparing for Sustainable Farming (PSF) Reminder 

08:45 Leaving winter stubbles 

14:44 Upcoming events 

17:28 RSABI Health hut 

FAS Resources 

RSABI Health huts: Health Huts - RSABI 

FAS Events: https://www.fas.scot/events/ 

Rural Payments, all scheme guidance https://www.ruralpayments.org/topics/all-schemes/ 

Other Resources  

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 

Twitter: @FASScot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected]

You are listening to Agri Culture, a podcast that aims to explore the stories of the people that make up our agricultural industry and culture of farming, in Scotland and beyond.  On today’s episode Mary-Jane is joined by Barbara McLeod. Barbara owns and runs Cruciferous Croft in the Lochinver area of North West Scotland.  She took on a croft herself, renovating an old building to live in, and has since started growing vegetables, finding most success with cabbages.  This gave her the idea to start fermenting them into sauerkraut to add value.  She now sells her products at food festivals and fairs.  She tells us about what it was like getting started in crofting, and discusses heritage practices such as using seaweed for fertiliser, and following chemical free growing practices.  She also tells us about the various sources of funding and support she has used to get her business up and running.  

If you’d like to get in touch or find out more about Cruciferous Croft, the Farm Advisory Service mentoring scheme, the HIE food and drink tech hub, or the other sources of support that Barbara mentioned, you can find links in the show notes.  

This episode was presented by Mary-Jane Lawrie, produced by Kerry Hammond and edited by Cameron Waugh, in association with the Scottish Government.   

Related Resources

Home - Cruciferous Croft Website 

Food and drink TechHUB | HIE 

FAS Mentoring Support Available | Helping farmers in Scotland  

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 dairy technology.  

Show Notes  

00:39 News in Brief 

05:49 Policy Briefs – Future Farming Investment Scheme, Agri-environment Climate Scheme Update, June Agricultural Census 2025 Results, Rodenticides, Muirburn Licence Update, Ecological Focus Areas, Suckler Beef Support Scheme, Small Scale Woodlands, Key Dates. 

16:58 Cereals – latest arable news and market update  

25:23 Beef – Festive Demand, Consumer Demand, Price Rewards, Store Trade, Cull Cow Trade, Breeding Cattle.  

34:02 Sheep – October Trade Round-Up, European and UK Lamb, Global Prices. 

38:58 Milk – Milk Production Data, Farm-gate Prices, Dairy Commodities and Market Indicators, How Clean Is Your Water   

46:03 Sector focus – Dairy Technology – Where can it benefit your business?  

55:31 Further articles – Tech Savvy Dairy Farming, Slatted flooring for sheep, Greening changes, Arable Farm Finances, Upcoming deadlines, Herd Advance Stockman system, Making Succession a Success  

Links and Resources: 

Newsletters - Business & Policy Edition - Farm Advisory Service   

BASIS PROMPT 

BPCA 2(British Pest Control Association) Registered 

CRRU Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use) - Think Wildlife 

Lantra Awards Level 2 Award in Rodent Management - Lantra 

The Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill 

Delayed implementation of the muirburn provisions | Scottish Parliament Website 

The Rural Support (Improvement) (Miscellaneous Amendment) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2025 

Small woodlands | Scottish Forestry 

Pneumonitor - environment monitoring for your pen 

Farm-twin - Digital Dairy Chain  

SRUC Major projects | Digital Dairy Chain 

Precision solutions to animal health & welfare: Dairy Calf  

Building ventilation: Calves 

Building ventilation: Dairy 

Lighting for Cows 

Cattle Housing - Ventilation 

Are Robots for Me?   

How to Assess and Improve Cow Cleanliness 

Converting to Slatted Flooring for Improved Sheep Housing  

Greening Changes (FAS publication) 

EFA: What you need to know in 5 minutes (video) 

Arable Farm Finances (Crop Cast podcast) 

Rural Roundup - Reminders (podcast) 

FAS TV Series 5 Ep 15 - Herd Advance TechnologyHYPERLINK "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWaEyNZ-d-Y" 

Succession Planning with Agricultural & Rural Business Solicitors (FAS TV)HYPERLINK "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L61Ac3MXDfc" 

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected] 

Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Kirsten Williams.  On today’s episode, Kirsten is joined by Ross Robertson, a Farm Technology Specialist at the UK Agri-Tech Centre. Ross collaborates with a network of farms to create practical solutions and demonstrate use of technology on farm to increase productivity. Ross draws on his practical farming experience and knowledge gained through visiting systems in other countries to bring about innovative change at a farm level here in the UK. 

Episode Timestamps  

00.20 Introducing Ross Robertson, Farm Technology specialist and sheep farmer  

04.34 Sector technology: dairy, arable robotics and precision farming, pig and chicken technology and animal health 

09.00 Return on investment  

10.36 Understanding how to handle and understand the data – the importance of training  

13.32 Applying dairy technology to the beef sector  

15.41 Main driver for introducing technology: labour, cost saving, health monitoring, increasing productivity  

19.11 Ross’s background 

24.28 Biodiversity sensors 

27.42 LoRaWAN – Long Range Wide Area Network 

30.15 Connectivity - a barrier to the uptake of technology?  

32.01 ONE AgriTech survey – broadband, apps and expert help 

43.30 What motivates Ross  

Resources    

The UK Agri-Tech Centre | farming & food innovation 

Ross Robertson contact: 07858309293, [email protected]  

Opportunity North East (ONE) 

The University of Edinburgh - The Power of Data in Farm Animal Practice  

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot 

Facebook: @FASScot 

 National Advice Hub 

Phone: 0300 323 0161 

Email: [email protected] 

Insurance for Crofters and Common Grazings. Welcome back to Crofting Matters! In this episode, Siobhan is joined by Jonathan Hogg, a rural insurance expert from NFU Mutual’s Dingwall branch.  Johnny has an agricultural background, works in a crofting area and understands the issues that crofters and grazing committees face with access, theft and weather-related incidents. We remove the ambiguity surrounding the need for Public and Employer’s liability cover, and what to do if the bull can outrun humans. 

We discuss: 

• Whether a small crofting business needs insurance, and what kind? 
• The need for Public Liability insurance. 
• Livestock – minimising the risk. 
• Wording on signs. 
• When to cover machinery and livestock for theft and loss. 
• Employer’s liability when you may not think of yourself as an employer! 
• Common Grazings and Sheep Stock clubs – cover required. 

FAS Resources 

https://www.fas.scot/news/common-grazings-and-sheep-stock-clubs-liability/