Scotland's Farm Advisory Service Podcast

Hosted by Scotland's Farm Advisory Service Podcast

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630

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Aug 2026

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About the show

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.

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60 recent

August 18, 202634 min

CropCast - Using Insects to make Fertiliser

In this episode Tiffany is joined by Arthy Surendran a Lecturer from Queens University Belfast to discuss her post-doctoral research, which looks at feeding food waste to insects with the aim of producing high value protein and fertiliser (Frass) as a by-product. Tiffany is also joined by Lachlan Jones, an Agricultural consultant from SAC Consulting, who is using Frass in SRUC crop field trials. Listen to this episode to learn about using insects to produce protein and the potential benefits of using the by-product (Frass) as a potential fertiliser and biostimulant. This episode was presented by Tiffany Stephenson, produced by George Gauley, edited by Cameron Waugh, with executive producers Kirstyn Blackwood & Kerry Hammond. Timestamps 00:49 Introduction to Arthy 01:06 Introduction to Lachlan 01:32 Introduction to FRASS 03:00 What is FRASS? 04:57 What is chitin? 07:50 How can chitin prime a plant against disease? 09:37 Micronutrient value of FRASS? 14:54 What is the organic matter value of FRASS? 15:41 How much protein is produced alongside the FRASS? 19:14 What is the pH of FRASS? 22:00 Potential negatives of using FRASS? 24:00 SRUC Field trials using FRASS 30:00 Where does it fit into Agriculture? Resources Positive early results in Sustainable control of clubroot https://www.fas.scot/article/positive-early-results-in-sustainable-control-of-clubroot-using-chitinous-food-waste/ Arthy Surendran on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthy-surendran-123408153/ For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Facebook: @FASScot National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: advice@fas.scot

August 12, 202637 min

Agri Culture - Livestock FarmHER Creating Content: Nicola Wordie

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. In this episode, Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by Nicola Wordie an award-winning livestock farmer and social media creator from Aberdeenshire. She farms in partnership with her Dad on a mixed upland sheep and beef farm and shares her day-to-day farming life across social media platforms and a YouTube channel under the name Livestock FarmHER. Her success in content creation recently led her to win the Fordyce Maxwell award for agricultural communications. Thanks for joining us for this episode of Agri Culture. If you’d like to find out more about Nicola, follow her social channels or watch her YouTube videos 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. Resources: FarmHER Youtube Channel FarmHER Instagram Livestock_farmher | Facebook For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Twitter: @FASScot Facebook: @FASScot National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: advice@fas.scot

August 10, 202649 min

Business and Policy News Audio August 2026: Policy, cereal, beef, sheep and milk updates and a spotlight on the pig sector

Along with our regular monthly updates on policy, cereals, beef, sheep and milk, in this edition we also have a spotlight on the pig sector. Show Notes 00:34 News in Brief 06:09 Policy Briefs – Scottish Pig Producers Support Scheme, New calls to boost Scotland’s wildfire response, Scotland bans glue traps, Cracks appear over the future of brown eggs. 11:29 Cereals – Latest news and market update 20:11 Beef – Latest news and market update 25:56 Sheep – Latest news and market update 31:24 Milk – Latest news and market update 40:05 Sector focus – Pig sector 46:25 Further articles – Soil Moisture Monitoring (FAS articles), Mains of Errol: From Field to Punnet (FAS TV), Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (FAS Video). FAS Links and Resources: Newsletters - Business & Policy Edition - Farm Advisory Service advice@fas.scot Other Links and Resources: www.ruralpayments.org Rural Priorities - Greening Introduction and updates Scottish Pig Producers Support Scheme Scottish Pig Producers Support Scheme: how to apply - gov.scot pigproducers.support@gov.scot Wildfires Strategic Action Plan Scotland bans glue traps Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024 Publications: Avian influenza (bird flu): how to spot and report the disease Swine fever: how to spot and report the disease Bluetongue: how to spot and report the disease SEPA Water scarcity levels and reports Island Resilience Fund 2026-2027 Online Sessions Bluetongue movement restrictions: 1 June - 9 September 2026 https://www.ruralpayments.org/news-events/agricultural-census-2026.html Soil Moisture Monitoring: Technology for Modern Irrigation Management Understanding Portable Soil Moisture Meters Mains of Errol: From Field to Punnet Disease Surveillance Part 4 - Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS) Agri Culture podcast - Finding Your Tribe For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Facebook: @FASScot National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: advice@fas.scot

July 31, 202657 min

Stock Talk - Venison Market Outlook & Tullynessle Deer Farm

Welcome to Stock Talk. In this episode James is joined by Dick Playfair from the Venison Advisory Service and Janet Keith from Tullynessle Deer Farm. Dick gives us a market overview of venison, tells us about how the wild deer cull influences deer farming and about the importance of provenance when selling venison direct to consumers. Then we speak to Janet, who runs Tullynessle Deer Farm with her husband Willie. Janet tells us their story of how they got into deer farming and how the business has evolved to diversify into direct selling her venison and running farm tours. Janet also tells us the about the meat itself, venison cooking options and how nutritional this meat is. Resources Tullynessle Deer Farm website: Buy Scottish Farmed Venison online or at our family farm Janet’s mobile number: 07827279241 Email address: tullynessledeerfarm@gmail.com Venison Advisory Service website: venisonadvisory.co.uk Dick’s email address: richard@venisonadvisory.co.uk For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Facebook: @FASScot National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: advice@fas.scot

July 30, 202639 min

Natural Capital - Scottish Agroecological Partnership

In this episode, we're joined by Abi Mordin from Propagate and Colleen McCulloch from the Soil Association to explore the work of the Scottish Agroecological Partnership (SAP), a collaboration of organisations working to make agroecology central to farming, crofting and growing in Scotland. We discuss what agroecology means in practice, how collaboration is helping farmers, crofters and growers build more resilient businesses and their project to upscale agroecology. Through on-farm workshops, peer-to-peer learning and knowledge exchange, the partnership is supporting the adoption of farming practices that are good for soils, nature and people. We also explore the barriers to change, the economic case for agroecological farming, the role of policy, and what Scotland's farming future could look like. Host Harry Fisher, Producers Iain Boyd & Fiona Salter, Editor Kieron Sim, Executive Producer Kerry Hammond Key Timestamps: 1:10 – 10:21 What SAP do, who is involved and what is agroecology 10:22 – 18:39 What does it look like in practice, farmer clusters 18:40 – 24:29 Overcoming barriers to adoption and making the transition 24:30 – 38:18 workshops, knowledge sharing and engaging with policy Resources: FAS Biodiveristy https://www.fas.scot/environment/biodiversity/ FAS Natural Capital podcast https://www.fas.scot/sounds/natural-capital/ Scottish Agroecology Partnership (SAP) https://www.agroecology.scot/ SAP Events https://www.agroecology.scot/about-sap/events/ For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Twitter: @FASScot Facebook: @FASScot National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: advice@fas.scot

July 29, 202634 min

Crofting Matters - Shetland, From Land to the Sea

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 David Brown, Crofter, Shetlander, and Area Manager for Cooke Aquaculture Scotland. In this episode we look at the intersection between our crofting communities and the blue economy. Across the Crofting Counties - agriculture, and the seafood sector have always been closely intertwined – It is still true today that the lion’s share of the £5.6 billion generated annually by Scotland’s Marine Economy comes to us through the crofting counties in one way or another. There are few places in the country where that interdependence between crofting and fisheries is as clear perhaps as Shetland. If you enjoyed this episode of Crofting Matters please do subscribe to hear the next episode when we’ll be joined by a crofter who is working to preserve traditional crofting producing Shetland Kale, Shetland Sheep and Shetland Kye as well as a local development company who are now the licensed seed merchants for Shetland Kale, Scotland’s oldest local vegetable variety. If you would like to find out more about anything we discussed today, you’ll find links in the show notes. This episode was produced by Kerry Hammond, and Edited by Keiron Sim, in association with the Scottish Government. Resources: Cooke Aquaculture Scotland | Cooke Aquaculture Scotland is one of the leading producers of Scottish salmon, and the largest producer of organic Scottish salmon. Shetland Islands Regional Marine Plan - gov.scot For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Twitter: @FASScot Facebook: @FASScot National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: advice@fas.scot

July 21, 202646 min

Cropcast - Field to Fork with Kettle Produce

Field to Fork with Kettle Produce: in this episode Mark is joined by Finlay Ross (Crop Manager) and Andrew Orr (Head of Agriculture) from Kettle Produce Ltd. Kettle Produce are a market leader for the provision of fresh and prepared vegetables, with over 5,000 hectares of crops grown in Scotland and around the world. Listen to this episode to hear about the background to Kettle Produce, regions farmed, crops grown, rotational demands, agronomic and climatic challenges, technical innovations in the field, labour and market trends. This episode was presented by Mark Bowsher-Gibbs, produced by Heather Stuart, edited by Cameron Waugh, with executive producers Kirstyn Blackwood & Kerry Hammond. Timestamps 02.08 Introducing Andrew Orr (Head of Agriculture at Kettle Produce) 04.18 Introducing Finlay Ross (Crop Manager at Kettle Produce) 06.51 Scale, set up of the business and crops grown 10.06 Crop rotation and working with a pool of growers 12.42 Cover crops 14.18 Farming calendar for broccoli and cauliflower 18.08 Vegetable agronomy 27.18 Adapting to extreme weather conditions 33.46 Crop trials 34.46 Labour requirements and graduate scheme 39.20 Market trends and demand for vegetables 42.28 Andrews take home message 43.50 Finlays take home message Resources Kettle Produce Ltd Contact: mail@kettle.co.uk Mark.Bowsher-Gibbs@sac.co.uk For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Facebook: @FASScot National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: advice@fas.scot

July 16, 202644 min

Thrill of The Hill - Beef, Business and Beyond

The beef industry in Scotland is resilient and adaptable, whether it’s changing markets and cost of production pressures, policy developments or the new entrant bottleneck. To help us navigate these topics and many more, today we are joined by Senior Beef Specialist Gavin Hill to discuss the outlook for the beef sector. This episode is brought to you by the Farm Advisory Service, presented by Alexander Pirie, produced by Heather Stuart, edited by Kieron Sim, with executive producers Kirstyn Blackwood and Kerry Hammond. Timestamps 01.48 Introducing Gavin Hill 02.58 What’s topical in the beef sector at the moment 10.57 Factors impacting price movements 15.32 Impact of international conflicts on the industry 16.36 Policy and regulatory changes 19.11 Outlook for cattle numbers 25.00 Labour 27.55 The world situation can change all the time 29.50 Scotch Beef is a unique product 31.40 Farmers responding to environmental policy 34.18 Outlook for the industry, short and longer term 36.47 Risks that we should be prepared for 39.38 Opportunities for the sector 41.20 Gavins take home message Resources Livestock resources for farmers from Farm Advisory Service Thrill Of The Hill RSS Feed (Virtually Stock Proof 21.10.22, Virtual fencing 24.09.20) Gavin.Hill@sac.co.uk For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Facebook: @FASScot National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: advice@fas.scot

July 15, 202657 min

Business and Policy News Audio July 2026: Policy, cereal, beef, sheep and milk updates and a spotlight on potato markets and optical grading technology

Along with our regular monthly updates on policy, cereals, beef, sheep and milk, in this edition we also have a spotlight on potato markets and optical grading technology. Timestamps and links for Show Notes 00:45 News in Brief 06:50 Policy Briefs – New EU rules on New Genomic Techniques (NGTs). Fair Dealing Obligations (Pigs) Regulations 2025. Growing Consumer Awareness of Regenerative Agriculture. Forestry Grant Scheme budget increased for 2026/27. Latest estimates for agricultural greenhouse gas emissions 15:48 Cereals – Latest news and market update 23:53 Beef – Latest news and market update 30:14 Sheep – Latest news and market update 36:15 Milk – Latest news and market update 44:32 Sector focus – potato markets and optical grading technology 53:52 Further articles – Planning and Preparing for Water Scarcity (webinars). Ensuring A Resilient Water Supply For Your Farm (article). Precision Weed Control Powered by Artificial Intelligence (FAS TV). The Use Of AI In Poultry (podcast). Links and Resources: Newsletters - Business & Policy Edition - Farm Advisory Service advice@fas.scot New Genomic Techniques (NGTs) Fair Dealing Obligations (Pigs) Regulations 2025 Growing Consumer Awareness of Regenerative Agriculture (ADM report) Forestry Grant Scheme budget increased for 2026/27 Scottish Agriculture Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions and Nitrogen Use 2024–25 statistics Water Scarcity - YouTube Planning and preparing for water scarcity - NE Scotland - recorded webinar Ensuring A Resilient Water Supply For Your Farm Precision Weed Control Powered by Artificial Intelligence The Use Of AI In Poultry Publications: Scottish National Adaptation Plan Annual Report 2025-2026 - gov.scot Avian influenza (bird flu): how to spot and report the disease Classical swine fever: how to spot and report the disease Bluetongue: how to spot and report the disease SEPA Water scarcity levels and reports Consultations: NatureScot - General Licensing Review National Strategy for Community Justice: review of 2022 strategy - Scottish Government consultations - Citizen Space For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Facebook: @FASScot National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: advice@fas.scot

July 15, 202634 min

Rural Roundup - One Foot In, One Foot Out: Getting Started & Succession

Welcome back to the Rural Round-up. On today’s episode George Chalmers and Tiffany Stephenson discuss opportunities for those looking to enter Agriculture, though apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship schemes, The Scottish Land Matching Service, and funded mentoring services, whilst also talking about Succession for those who may be ready to think about passing on the reigns, identifying specialist advice funding and resources to support people on their journey wherever they may be. They bring you all of this alongside the latest industry updates. FAS Resources Agri Culture - Lawrence Martin: Opportunities Through Apprenticeships | FAS New Entrants resources for farmers from Farm Advisory Service Mentoring for new farmers and crofters | Helping farmers in Scotland Specialist Advice | Helping farmers in Scotland (Succession Planning) FAS Connect | Helping farmers in Scotland Land-Based Pre-Apprenticeship Scheme | Helping farmers in Scotland Other Resources Scottish Land Matching Service | Opportunities in Scottish Farming Future Farming Investment Scheme Agri-Environment Climate Scheme Study at SRUC | Apprenticeships For more information, visit www.FAS.scot Twitter: @FASScot Facebook: @FASScot National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 Email: advice@fas.scot