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.

At Scotland's First Nature Friendly Farming Summit, Minister Jim Fairlie announced the return of the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme for a 2026 funding round and a commitment to continue the scheme through to 2030. This announcement brought a degree of certainty to the policy landscape and has allowed farmers and crofters to plan for the future and how the industry continues to embed and build nature into their businesses.

Fresh off the release of the approval lists for the 2025 funding round, in this episode we sit down with Environmental Consultant and Lead on the Ecology Knowledge Network, David Brown from SAC Consulting to discuss the successes of the scheme historically and look forward to what this new round will bring. We cover changes to eligibility criteria, spatial targeting, scoring and more – stressing the importance of getting the right advice and getting it early. David also speaks passionately about his involvement with the Farm Wildlife Walks initiative and the willingness of farmers and crofters to meet the challenge of nature decline head on.

Want to get in touch with David? You can get a hold of him via telephone on 01835 342919 or by email at david.brown@sac.co.uk.

FAS Resources

Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) - FAS

https://www.fas.scot/environment/biodiversity/agri-environmental-climate-scheme-aecs/

Other Related Resources

Agri-Environment Climate Scheme

https://www.ruralpayments.org/topics/all-schemes/agri-environment-climate-scheme/

Welcome back to the Rural Roundup. On today’s episode George Chalmers and Mary-Jane Lawrie discuss all things Farm Insurance with, with NFU Mutual’s Douglas Schreiber.

Time Stamps

03:56 Deadlines and Grant updates

07:35 Introduction to Douglas Schreiber

08:25 Starting point for insurance renewal discussions

09:51 Things farmers should think about ahead of renewal?

12:19 The impact of staff qualifications on premiums?

14:50 What are the factors which really impact the price of a policy?

18:23 Anything people can do to reasonably do to reduce premiums related to storm damage?

21:56 How important is it to get your farm valued?

24:14 Cyber Security on insurance policies

26:31 Trackers and dashcams

30:32 What to do in the event of an accident on the road?

31:37 Areas of policies which often get overlooked?

FAS Resources

FAS Events

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

Agritourism Investment Scheme

https://www.ruralpayments.org/topics/all-schemes/agritourism-investment-scheme--ais-/

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot

Twitter: @FASScot

Facebook: @FASScot

National Advice Hub

Phone: 0300 323 0161

Email: advice@fas.scot

Welcome to CropCast Conversations. On today’s episode Mark is joined by Iain Riddell. Iain was a consultant and project manager with SAC Consulting for 45 years, before becoming self-employed and operating under Graystones Consulting. Iain’s work focuses on agricultural supply chains and his main interest is industrial hemp, which will be the focus of this episode. The global market for hemp is expected to quadruple by 2030 and as markets here evolve, there is great potential for Scotland’s farmers to reap the benefits.

Hemp was actually grown in Scotland in the Middle Ages for rope and textile production, before it became more economic to import, to make ropes and sails for ships. It has recently attracted interest as a new arable crop as more uses for hemp become viable, including fibre/shiv for insulation and boarding in house construction and seeds used for cold pressed oil and food health products, plus many other uses. Hemp has also been shown to improve soil structure and quality, store CO2 and improve biodiversity and could play an important role in reducing Scotland’s greenhouse gas emissions. There is potential for this highly versatile crop to be a profitable break crop for farmers as demand increases for biobased materials to replace products derived from fossil fuels.

Industrial hemp is used across sectors such as agriculture, automotives, bio-energy, construction, food and beverages, furniture, paper, personal care, recycling and textiles. Several years field crop experience in Angus and the Borders, and hemp crop trials in Scotland in 2024 has confirmed that the crop grows well in our climate.

Episode Timestamps

01.23 Introducing Iain Riddell

02.50 Potential uses for hemp as an industrial crop

03.46 What do we mean by ‘industrial hemp’

05.45 Historical context

10.45 Growing hemp for fibre

12.17 Hemp – what’s currently going on in the UK

17.09 What we learned from growing hemp in the rotation

22.48 Retting process

28.32 Emerging hemp markets and potential uses

33.42 Hemp seed industry

35.26 Phytoremediation and the advantage of deep tap roots

37.23 Biodiversity benefits

Resources

The Potential of the Hemp Crop in Scotland | Helping farmers in Scotland

Advancing a sustainable Scottish supply chain for industrial hemp and co-products

British Hemp Alliance

IndiNature – Natural fibre construction insulation

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/industrial-hemp-licensing-guidance/industrial-hemp-licensing-factsheet

The Rowett Institute | The University of Aberdeen

Contact:

Mark.Bowsher-Gibbs@sac.co.uk

Graystonesconsulting308@gmail.com (Iain Riddell)

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot...

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 Bertie Troughton, Hugh Chamerlain and Laura McDonald of Atholl Estates. They join us to talk about how in recent years they have started to move towards regenerative farming practices, a big shift in focus for the farms and the staff who work there. They share what has worked well for them, balancing agricultural productivity, with biodiversity and sustainability goals. It’s clear that community resilience is important to them as they refer to the longer-term initiatives such as peatland restoration and woodland planting, in hand with shorter term wins such as sward diversity and enjoying the flora and fauna now found on Atholl Estates.

Thanks for joining us for this episode of Agri Culture. If you’d like to find out more about Atholl Estates, you can find links in the show notes. If you are interested in regenerative farming practices, you may also want to listen to the Farm Advisory Service natural capital podcast.

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

Resources:

Atholl Estates in Pitlochry | Scottish Highland Estate in Perthshire

Natural Capital | Helping farmers in Scotland

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot

Twitter: @FASScot

Facebook: @FASScot

National Advice Hub

Phone: 0300 323 0161

Email: advice@fas.scot

Along with our regular monthly updates on policy, cereals, beef, sheep and milk, in this edition we also have a spotlight on promoting your farm or croft online.

Show Notes

00:33 News in Brief

04:35 Policy Briefs – Agri-Tourism Investment Scheme (AIS), Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS), Preparing for Sustainable Farming (PSF), Drivers over 70, Agri Wages Board Minimum Wage Proposal, Protection of Tenants, Rural and Island Communities

19:05 Cereals – Latest news and market update

26:20 Beef – Latest news and market update

30:04 Sheep – Latest news and market update

34:00 Milk – Latest news and market update

39:27 Sector focus – Promoting your farm or croft online

50:40 Further articles – ‘Preparing for lambing’ (FAS TV), ‘New Year, New Kit?’ (FAS TV) and ‘Who will milk the cows tomorrow?’ (FAS article)

FAS Resources:

Newsletters - Business & Policy Edition - Farm Advisory Service

Other Links and Resources:

Visitor Levy Amendment Bill published - gov.scot

Avian influenza (bird flu) outbreaks - gov.scot

Sheep scab notifications - gov.scot

Business Insights and Conditions in Scotland (wave 148)

Agritourism Investment Scheme (AIS)

AECS - Management Options page

AECS - Capital Items page

AECS - Targeting tool

AECS - Seeking Endorsement

Fair Work First

Preparing for Sustainable farming portal

Renew your driving licence if you're 70 or over - GOV.UK

SAWB@gov.scot

The Investigation and Commencement of Repair (Scotland) Regulations...

Welcome to Stock Talk. On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by Gordon Whiteford who farms at Lower Mill of Tynet in Banffshire. In 2012, Gordon and June Whiteford began Lower Mill of Tynet Farm. They built an egg business, then a micro-dairy in 2020, selling milk and now ice cream directly from their 24-hour farm shop. They have brought together traditional farming practices with innovative direct-to-consumer strategies and are proud to have won Sustainable Farm of the Year 2024.

Timestamps

01.10 How it all started for Gordon

10.23 Organic hens and starting out with poultry

13.14 Lower Mill of Tynet

15.40 Nuffield Scholarship – Organic

22.16 Brown vs white hens

31.49 Micro dairy – milk and ice cream

48.46 What’s next for Gordon

Related FAS Resources

Organics in Scotland - Lower Mill of Tynet Case Study | Helping farmers in Scotland

Getting Started with Organic Farming – How to Convert to Organic | Helping farmers in Scotland

Managing Grassland Under Organic Systems | Helping farmers in Scotland

Getting Started Growing and Grazing with Organics | Helping farmers in Scotland

Other Related Resources

Lower Mill Of Tynet.co.uk

Direct Retailing from a Poultry, Dairy, Beef, Sheep & Arable farm – Lower Mill of Tynet - FAS Video

For more information, visit www.FAS.scot

Facebook: @FASScot

National Advice Hub

Phone: 0300 323 0161

Email: advice@fas.scot

We are joined by environmental historian Dr Ian Maclellan as we wind the clock back through Scotland’s long history of land use change: from the ice age to the Romans, clearances, industrialisation and modern pressures. Along the way, we unpack how humans have been part of the landscape – managing it for food, livelihoods and leisure, and the consequences this has had on nature and biodiversity.

Scotland’s landscapes are often seen as wild and timeless, but people and the land have shaped one another over thousands of years. We discuss this and how understanding yesterday can help us make better decisions for the future. Challenging us to have more nuanced, informed conversations about land restoration and management today - recognising complexity, positive outcomes, unintended consequences, and the realities of climate, culture and history.

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

Timestamps

1:25 – 13:38 Introductions and high-level walkthrough of Scotland’s natural history

13:38 – 31:00 Management of land and our relationships with it

31:00 – 43:55 Our perceptions and misconceptions of the land and challenges for the future

43:55 – end. Final comments and where to get more info

Related FAS resources

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

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

Other Related Resources

Prof T C Smout: Nature Contested Environmental History in Scotland and Northern England since 1600: https://www.nhbs.com/nature-contested-book

University of Stirling Environmental History and Heritage: https://www.stir.ac.uk/about/faculties/arts-humanities/history-politics/history-research/environmental-history-and-heritage/

Prof R Orum: Where Men No More May Reap Or Sow: The Little Ice Age: Scotland 1400–1850: https://birlinn.co.uk/product/where-men-no-more-may-reap-or-sow/

Ichnos Heritage: https://ichnosheritage.com/

In this episode George Chalmers is joined by SAC Consultant David Ross, to discuss crop margins from 2025 and predictions for 2026.

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 Stamps

1:12 Introduction to David Ross

5:00 Impact of weather on 2025 yields

11:12 AHDB Farmbench

13:44 2025 Winter Wheat

19:20 2025 Oilseed Rape

24:50 2025 Spring Barley

28:32 2025 Winter Barley

30:58 Variations between farm

32:55 Projections for Winter Wheat

38:27 Projections for Oilseed Rape 2026

42:04 Projections for Barley 2026

45:35 Alternative crops for 2026

53:30 Key messages

Related FAS Resources

Crops and soils | Helping farmers in Scotland

Other Related Resources

Farmbench - a farm business comparison tool | AHDB

Agricultural Reform Route Map