Scotland's Farm Advisory Service Podcast
Scotland’s Farm Advisory Service is funded by the Scottish Government. Our podcast covers a range of topics which help support your farm or croft to be more profitable and sustainable.
Episodes
Welcome to Stock Talk. In this episode James is joined by SRUC Veterinary Investigation Officer Kythe Mackenzie, and farmers Ewan Runciman and Scott Fraser. Today we're looking at one of the most important management practices carried out on sheep farms every spring - lamb marking. For many sheep producers, this includes procedures such as castration and tail docking. These are routine husbandry practices, but they're also areas wh...
Hello and welcome to Crofting Matters, hosted by Osla Jamwal Fraser where we discuss topics that matter in crofting.
Over the next few episodes, we will be bringing you Crofting Matters from Shetland. Today we are joined by two fascinating guests! Eve Eunson who was born and raised on her family’s Croft in Fair Isle and who is now a designer and maker of Fair Isle Straw-backed chairs. We’re also joined by Ewen Balfour wh...
Welcome to The Thrill of The Hill. Today we're talking about one of Scotland's most iconic groups of farmland birds – our waders.
Species such as lapwing, curlew, redshank and snipe have long been part of the Scottish farming landscape. Their calls and displays are synonymous with springtime on farms and crofts across the country, yet many of these species have experienced significant declines over recent decades.
Toby Wil...
Welcome back to the Rural Roundup. On today’s episode George Chalmers and Tiffany Stephenson are joined by SAC Consulting forestry consultant David Eadie to discuss farm woodlands, as well as bringing you the latest industry updates.
Timestamps
00:35 How are things with George & Tiffany?
02:21 Upcoming events?
04:00 Important deadlines to be aware of
06:18 The World Cup
10:23 Introduction to David Eadie
10:50 Why might a fa...
In this episode Tiffany Stevenson is joined by Simon Oxley to discuss Arable innovation along with Dr Neil Havis to discuss what growers can expect to see at the upcoming SRUC Crop trial events, which take place on the 23rd & 25th June 2026.
With increasing pressure on margins, rising input costs and more challenging growing conditions, arable innovation and making the right variety and crop protection decisions has never been m...
Along with our regular monthly updates on policy, cereals, beef, sheep and milk, in this edition we also have a spotlight on Scottish farm business income: annual estimates 2024-2025.
Timestamps
00:37 News in Brief
06:17 Policy Briefs – Red Diesel Duty, Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme 2025 payments, New strategy for swine fever, Scotland’s New Rural Affairs Secretary, Food tariffs.
11:11 Cereals – Latest news and...
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 Lawrie is joined by Lauren Houstoun from Glenkilrie Larder who tells us about her farming business, Glenkilrie Farm, which she runs with her husband Andrew and in-laws David and Morag Houstoun. They farm cattle, sheep a...
Welcome to Stock Talk. In this episode James is joined by David Speller from OptiFarm. David is a poultry farmer who had lots of data and not enough time to analyse it. David will tell us about the AI tool he developed to help him make better informed decisions, which attracted the eyes of investors leading to his company OptiFarm. David explains how the tool works and the benefits of using AI in livestock systems including the use...
Hello and welcome to Crofting Matters, hosted by Siobhan Macdonald, and this is the Farm Advisory Service series where we discuss topics that matter in crofting.
For this episode, we’re heading north to the wild and windswept Shetland isles to explore the unique world of island crofting and the remarkable resilience of Shetland’s crofters. Join Siobhan Macdonald and Osla Jamwal Fraser as they dive into the opportunitie...
In the first episode of the new series, we speak with Donya Davidson and Sophie Manson from NatureScot about their Natural Capital Tool and find out what it is, the challenges it addresses, and how it supports land managers in Scotland. We have a walk through showing how the tool works in practice and how it allows decision makers to identify strategies that maximise positive outcomes.
The Natural Capital Tool is a free, easy-to-use...
Welcome to The Thrill of The Hill. This is the third and final episode in our series exploring beaver reintroduction in Scotland. Across the last two episodes, we’ve looked at the challenges, concerns, and practical realities beavers bring to land management.
Today, we’re joined by farmer and rewilding advocate Tom Bowser from Lerrocks farm and we’ll be focusing on the other side of the story — the ecological...
Welcome back to the Rural Round-up. On today’s episode George Chalmers and Tiffany Stephenson discuss upcoming events and updates, while Kerry Hammond chats to Linda McAllister from visit Scotland to discuss opportunities for Agri tourism.
Timestamps
00:30 Welcome back Tiffany
02:15 IACS Deadline
02:55 Enhanced Greening
08:28 Future Farming Investment Scheme (FFIS)
10:42 AECS
12:26 Events
13:18 Funding for specialist advice
19:27 Lind...
Welcome to Cropcast Conversations. On today’s episode Mark is joined by Teresa Dougall (Managing Director SQC) & John Hutcheson (Chair, SQC).
Scottish Quality Crops is the quality assurance body that sets the standards for food safety and good practice for crops grown in Scotland. This gives confidence to buyers across the world and creates market opportunities for Scotland’s growers.
SQC has 3,100 voluntary members, ...
Along with our regular monthly updates on policy, cereals, beef, sheep and milk, in this edition we also have a spotlight on the Agri-Environmental Climate Scheme (AECS).
Time Stamps:
01:56 News in Brief
05:52 Policy Briefs – Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme 2025 payments, Groceries Code Adjudicator moves to Defra, Crofting and Scottish Land Cout Bill, Cairngorms National Park Fire Management Byelaw
10:26 Cereals &ndash...
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 Lawrie is joined by Julie McLaren. Julie is a Bank Relationship Director – Agriculture & Landed Estates, and Vice Chair of Women in Agriculture Scotland. Julie tells us about her career in banking and how her ro...
In this episode George Chalmers is joined by SAC Consultants Kerry Leslie & Gavin Prentice, to discuss results from PCN Action Scotland along with the new CREW water scarcity guidance.
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.
Pro...
Welcome back to the Rural Round-up. On today’s episode George Chalmers and Mary-Jane Lawrie discuss the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) along with other relevant updates.
Timestamps
04:14 Single Application Form (IACS)
08:40 Fuel & Fertiliser prices
14:08 Food processing, Marketing & Cooperation Grant
16:33 Future Farming Investment Scheme
17:00 Agri – Environment Climate Scheme (AECS)
FAS Resources
FAS...
Along with our regular monthly updates on policy, cereals, beef, sheep and milk, in this edition we also have a spotlight on Maker Space, a Digital Dairy Chain project.
Time Stamps:
00:36 News in Brief
05:45 Policy Briefs – Food and Drink Processing Scheme, Community Right to Buy, Funding for Gleylag Geese on Uist, Help for Households Using Heating Oil, Electronic Identification for Cattle, Key Dates.
17:14 Cereals – Lat...
In this episode of the Natural Capital podcast we are joined by Jayne Ashley, Head of Natural Capital at SOSE to talk about the South of Scotland's Natural Capital Innovation Zone. The Natural Capital Innovation Zone (NCIZ) is a nationally recognised region in Dumfries & Galloway and the Scottish Borders focused on tackling the twin challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change. It is a catalyst for innovative natural capi...
Welcome back to the Rural Roundup. On today’s episode George Chalmers and Mary-Jane Lawrie get a policy update from SRUC Professor Steven Thomson.
Timestamps
03:05 EFA Management for 2026
04:48 Entitlement transfer & SAF 2026
09:47 Steven Thomson
09:50 Main policy changes for 2026.
12:40 Why are we having policy changes?
23:40 Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme
25:30 Future Farm Investment Scheme
26:05 Rural ...
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