The Scottish Farmer
Farmers battle blizzards
HEAVY snow and dri ing blizzards have brought parts of Scotland to a standstill, with farmers once again stepping forward to keep rural communities connected as roads became impassable and motorists stranded. warnings have been in place across large...
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Happy MOO year!
While some might be making resolutions, the cows at West Binny Farm near Dechmont are sticking to what they love, their silage ration
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Green bodies exit ARIOB
ENVIRONMENTAL organisations have withdrawn from the Scottish Government body charged with shaping the future of farming policy, citing deep frustration with the pace and direction of reform. Scottish Environment LINK, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland and...
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Miller calls out NFUS
A former NFU Scotland president has called for an independent inquiry over the Union’s ‘top down’ culture and the handling of a member dismissal. Borders farmer Nigel Miller has written an open letter to NFUS to express disappointment over the process...
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Ploughing gears up for malting barley
Winter ploughing is well under way beside Ladysbridge, Aberdeenshire with a Lemken Jewel 8 plough behind an 8s 225, ready for Laureate malting barley to be sown this coming spring
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Bluetongue cases in NI
NORTHERN Ireland is facing its first suspected case of bluetongue, a er routine surveillance detected the virus in two cows on a holding near Bangor, Co Down. The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural A airs (Daera) confirmed tests...
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Farmers fight budget
HUNDREDS of farmers once again marched into Westminster on Budget Day to protest proposed inheritance tax changes, despite Metropolitan Police restrictions banning agricultural machinery from Whitehall. One tractor outside Parliament on Abingdon...
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FFIS future unclear
A TENSE post-debate briefing at AgriScot has revealed that the Scottish Government may revise both the timing and shape of the second round of the Future Farming Investment Scheme (FFIS), following what ocials described as an unexpectedly sharp...
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Farm grant fiasco
THE Scottish Government’s flagship Future Farming Investment Scheme (FFIS) has come under fire from farmers and cro ers across the country, a er just 1672 successful applicants were awarded grants worth £21.4 million from 7584 applications. The...
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Storms trigger surge in acorn poisonings
FARMERS are being urged to stay alert for signs of acorn poisoning in livestock a er a combination of weather extremes created ideal conditions for a surge in cases across parts of Scotland. Experts warn that a spring drought, followed by heavy rain...
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RHASS ball raises over £250,000
THE Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) Aberdeenshire Presidential Initiative has got o to a flying start – raising an extraordinary £250,000 in support of key rural charities and future agricultural initiatives. Held on...
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ASA bans Red Tractor ad
A TELEVISION advert by Red Tractor, the UK’s largest farm assurance scheme, has been banned aer regulators ruled it exaggerated the scheme’s environmental credentials and risked misleading the public. Following a two-year investigation, the...
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Land reform bias battle
A war of words has erupted between a coalition of rural organisations and the Scottish Tenant Farmers Association (STFA) over Land Reform (Scotland) Bill lobbying. The group representing Scotland’s landlords, lawyers, valuers and farmers has written...
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No farms, no food, no future
FARMERS were once again at the forefront of a dramatic protest in Liverpool on Sunday, warning Labour’s inheritance tax reforms could devastate family farming and rural life across the UK. Tractors and banners filled the streets outside Labour’s...
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Cambwell celebrate at Kelso
Team Laird – Robert, Joyce and daughters Kim and Amy – from Cambwell, Biggar, had a field day at the Kelso Ram Sales, AND produced the lead priced ram at £32,000. Their Cambwell Hotshot Texel sold to Angela Nairey and family, Meinspride
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Trailer of Truth hits road
FARMERS and rural campaigners across Britain are preparing to take their message to the roads this September. The ‘Trailer of Truth’ will embark on a nationwide protest tour demanding urgent government action on rural issues. The grassroots campaign,...
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United call for barley action
USE it or lose it – that’s the warning from Scotland’s farmers as distilleries turn away malting barley, leaving a mountain of grain and prices stuck in the past. Farmers warn that prices have dropped to as low as £130 per tonne for feed barley while...
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Fake food fightback
SCHOOL meals are meant to nourish, but for one Perthshire mother they have become a symbol of frustration. When Lauren Houstoun discovered her five-year-old son was being o ered ultra-processed meat substitutes as the only option at lunchtime, she...
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Bluetongue rules relaxed
THE Scottish Government has confirmed that from September 21, 2025 certain movement controls on bluetongue virus (BTV-3) susceptible livestock will be eased, oering muchneeded relief to farmers and auction markets who have faced restrictions since...
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Screaming about screenings
SCOTTISH malting barley growers are warning that the combination of poor market conditions, tough quality standards, and a season of weather extremes is putting the sector under real strain. Early harvest reports from parts of the country show cereals...
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Trump slams PM Starmer
US PRESIDENT Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on the UK Government’s inheritance tax reforms during a joint press appearance with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at Trump Turnberry in Ayrshire. Speaking during his private visit to Scotland, the...
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No let-up on IHT pain
DESPITE nine months of protests, petitions and political lobbying, the Labour government has failed to include any alterations to the devastating inheritance tax changes. The rural sector is reeling with widespread disappointment following the...
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Michelle makes her mark at Echt
Sunshine and smiles from Michelle Hanson and her partner Darren Irvine who won the Charolais championship, inter-breed beef and overall champion of champions at Echt Show, with the 12-year-old cow Silvermere Vogue and her November-born heifer calf
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Scotgrain cuts collections
ONE of Scotland’s largest grain buyers, Scotgrain, has announced it will only be taking 70% of contracted grain volumes from growers this harvest. A decision described by industry figures as a ‘late, late call’ that has le farmers across the country...
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Border BTV-3 blockade
THE Scottish Government has been urged to reconsider policies regarding the movement of livestock into Scotland, following a change of guidelines enforced on July 1, which has split opinions across the nation. Critics of the Scottish Government’s...
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Bluetongue rules backlash
UK red meat leaders have hit out at new bluetongue virus (BTV-3) rules coming into force on July 1, warning they risk serious disruption to livestock trade and supply chains. An all-England Bluetongue Restricted Zone (RZ) will replace the current...
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Farmers face ruin over ethanol
BRITISH farmers are facing economic ‘devastation’ as a result of Sir Keir Starmer’s trade deal with Donald Trump, according to a leaked internal memo – as reported in The Telegraph. The agreement, announced last month but not yet in force, removes...
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No cuts to cattle
AGRICULTURE minister Jim Fairlie has moved to reassure farmers there are no plans to reduce livestock numbers, as new figures show agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Scotland have fallen to their lowest levels on record. “Let me be crystal...
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Hat-trick history at Drymen
Stuart, Lynsey and Darcie Bett, along with Fletcher Russell, pictured with Grahams Ruth, the interbreed beef and overall champion of champions at Drymen Show for a third consecutive year
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No GYS for Scots
THE Great Yorkshire Show will have no cattle or sheep entries from Scotland or Wales following updated bluetongue guidance. The change follows APHA’s announcement that the bluetongue virus Restricted Zone will be extended from Tuesday, July 1 to cover...
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UK and EU strike export deal
THE UK and EU have reached an agreement aimed at reducing post-Brexit trade barriers, particularly focusing on easing agricultural export regulations. The deal introduces a new sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) framework, designed to eliminate border...
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More cows needed?
SCOTLAND’S beef industry could unlock an economic boost worth £281m in output and £76m in gross value added (GVA) by 2030 - if farmers add just two more cows per herd per year over the next few years. That’s the key message from Quality Meat Scotland...
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Angel of Death stalks the skies
AS hill lambings across the West Coast and the Isles get into full swing, at least three reported sea eagle attacks have occurred over the bank holiday period. The first and second of these happened on Friday evening and Saturday morning, with Mull...
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Big job for Graeme at Beith
Graeme Easton had the job of judging the Highland cattle section at Beith show.
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Are we FMD ready?
AS Europe faces renewed outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), Scotland is reasserting its readiness to respond swiftly and effectively should the disease reach British soil. Earlier this year, a confirmed case of FMD in Germany sent shockwaves...
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Getting the young ones started early
Feeding time with the coos as 18-month-old Jess Inglis from Blairsgreen Farm, Fife lends a helping hand. The image was captured during a feature visit to Blairsgreen ahead of next week’s bull sales preview edition
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Wildfire sparks panic in hills
FARMERS around Loch Doon have been left shaken after wildfires swept dangerously close to livestock and homes last weekend, prompting evacuations and raising questions about emergency preparedness and the impact of reckless wild camping. The recent...
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The great wheat strike
THE UK’s first-ever farming strike is officially under way as a group of British farmers have followed through on their promise to withhold milling wheat. This unprecedented move, which began on April 1, aims to highlight the country’s growing...
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Tractor destroyed in arson attack at Glenisla farm
A deliberate and devastating act of vandalism has left Eastmill Farm without its only tractor, after a vicious arson attack in the early hours of Sunday morning. Farm manager Pamela Nicol has described the unsettling incident, which occurred around...
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RHASS on track for the black
TACKLING years of financial losses is set to be addressed by the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland (RHASS) which is launching a new recovery plan. Under the guidance of chair James Logan and financial director Nicky Wade, RHASS is...
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Castration frustration
SHEEP farmers are facing the end of ringing young lambs without anaesthetic following recommendations for the government from the Animal Welfare Committee (AWC). The use of rubber rings without anaesthetic to castrate lambs under seven days old is...
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Is it time for stronger action?
FOLLOWING the NFU England Conference in London, there has been mixed reaction from the farming community, with some farmers demanding more direct action to challenge Labour government policies. Despite a sustained campaign of lobbying, growing...
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Labour ‘shuts door’
TUESDAY’S meeting between government ministers and agricultural leaders ended in frustration and outrage. Exchequer secretary James Murray and farming minister Daniel Zeichner met with representatives from the four countries’ farming unions – CLA,...
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Wild boar worries
NATIONAL park rangers are battling to round up a large group of feral pigs thought to have been deliberately released in the Cairngorms. Animal experts have located and are working to trap a number of illegally released wild boar in the area. The...
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Farmers take to the roads
FRUSTRATED Scottish farmers took to the roads last weekend to protest against the UK Government’s proposed inheritance tax changes, which they argue will jeopardise the viability of family farms across the country. The demonstrations were staged to...
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Storm Éowyn batters farms
FARMERS and landowners have been hit by devastation in the wake of Storm Éowyn. More than 2000 Scottish households were still without power as The Scottish Farmer went to press, days after the storm brought a red weather warning to many parts of...
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90 lambs lost to SBV
SCHMALLENBERG Virus (SBV) has been confirmed at Harpercroft Farm in Ayrshire, leading to significant lamb losses and highlighting the need for greater awareness. Michael Goldie, who runs the Harpercroft flock alongside his mother Helen Goldie, shared...
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Sea eagle kills ewe
AN Argyll farmer and his family are staring down the barrel of losing their farm, as white-tailed sea eagles continue to ravage his sheep flock – and they have moved on from killing young stock to adult ewes. Richard and Kirsten Rennie farm 2500 acres...
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Schmallenberg spreading
THE spread of Schmallenberg Virus (SBV) across the UK has raised fresh concerns, particularly as reports from Scotland and Ireland suggest it is spreading into new areas, potentially affecting cattle, sheep and goats. Schmallenberg Virus, which tends...
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New agri call to arms
TRACTOR rallies are to be held in every region of Scotland in a show of unity and strength for the industry. All four UK farming Unions – NFU Scotland, NFU, NFU Cymru and Ulster Farmers Union – will participate in a nationwide day of action on...
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Aberdeen sees tractor uprising
A DRAMATIC show of defiance against proposed tax reforms unfolded in Aberdeen last week, as nearly 200 tractors rolled through the city in a powerful demonstration by north-east farmers. The Aberdeen Tractor Rally, organised by the region’s...
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Ho, Ho, Hoof GP
The world-renowned Graeme Parker, widely recognised as The Hoof GP, gets ready for the final Christmas foottrimming session at the East Knockbrex herd near Newton Stewart
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Forestry sales plummet
A NEW report by the Scottish Land Commission has revealed a significant slowdown in Scotland’s forestry transactions and low activity in large-scale land sales. Only 0.5% of Scotland’s land changed hands in 2023, with forestry transactions plummeting...
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Scottish budget battles
FARMERS have descended on Holyrood in the battle to keep agriculture supported by the Scottish Government. More than 800 farmers rallied at the Scottish Parliament before finance secretary Shona Robison delivered the Scottish Budget. The SNP...
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Call to scrap calving rules
PLANNED changes to the Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme (SSBSS) which will force farmers to hit calving interval targets have been thrown into disarray as lobbying organisations and opposition MSPs launch a last-ditch attempt to stop...
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Farming unites to take on Labour tax changes
FARMERS, rural workers and supporters of agriculture gathered in London on the coldest day of the year to force the government to acknowledge them. Perturbed by the Autumn Budget's vitriol, the farming sector's anger culminated in Whitehall, where...
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Farmers to march south
SCOTTISH farmers are set to march in London in a show of force against ‘reckless’ Budget decisions that threaten the future of family farms. The industry is pushing back against major tax changes that will have a wide impact on food production and...
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Farming unions rally against Budget decisions
NFU Scotland is organising a rally outside Holyrood for November 28, ahead of the Scottish Government’s budget on December 4, in response to the hammer-blows the agricultural community face following the Budget. The NFUS presidential team and board of...
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BRICKWORK
CRYPTIC CLUES Across 1 Impulsiveness at set point, any mistake? (11) Trapped by routine in a Turin settlement (2,1,3) Red church stand (6) Summon uniformed attendant (4) Italian wine, in trial, was the most flavoursome (8) A month in Capri? Lovely...
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Budget uncertainty looms
WITH the new Labour government facing a £22bn budget shortfall, the Chancellor may target agriculture for potential savings. Reports indicate that funding for a scheme designed to incentivise nature-friendly farming practices could be cut by £100m,...
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QMS in red tape cut
QUALITY Meat Scotland (QMS) is proposing a 15% cut in the number of assurance standards following feedback from the farming sector. At the launch of the levy body’s consultation on the cattle and sheep assurance scheme, the quango is proposing a...
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All go at Lairg
Lairg was bustling with spectators and buyers gathered for the highly anticipated sale of North Country Cheviot rams. Martyn Cook and his team from the Dorrery flock’s pen leader, Dorrery Dynamite, made £20,000 and his pen mate hit the top price of...
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Rewilding estates ‘fire sale’
THREE Scottish estates have been put up for sale by a rewilding company – calling into question the success of plans that were made for the blocks of land. Estates owned by the company headed by a former director of Greenpeace are to go on the market...
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Milk producers left high and dry
SCOTTISH milk producers supplying Lactalis have been hit with the devastating news that their contracts are being withdrawn. Twelve south-west dairy farmers – 10 in Dumfries and Galloway and two in Ayrshire – have been sent letters from the dairy...
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