Scottish Forestry, one of two new agencies created in April 2019 to replace the Forestry Commission in Scotland, is taking a new approach to promoting the diversification of farming businesses’ north of the border by highlighting the opportunities for landowners to maximise their business productivity, improve sustainability and add value by planting trees on underproductive/marginal land.

New woodlands have the potential to create an additional long-term income stream for farming businesses’ through attractive grant funding, while also delivering an important source of low carbon, low cost wood fuel, while at the same time as offering tax incentives, livestock, crop productivity and environmental benefits. 

The dairy cattle judge for this years’ AgriScot has been announced as New Zealand farmer and pedigree breeder, Selwyn Donald.

Selwyn milks 400 cows on the outskirts of the Featherston Township approximately an hour’s drive from New Zealand’s capital city Wellington.

Commenting on his AgriScot appointment, Selwyn said:

“My ancestors came over to NZ – I’m the fourth generation to farm here – from Ayrshire.”

Ringlink Scotland has appointed Jane Craigie to the cooperative’s board of 10 directors. Aberdeenshire based Ms Craigie runs a marketing consultancy specialising in agriculture, food and rural affairs and will be the first woman to join the UK’s largest business ring.

AB Agri Ltd, the agricultural division of Associated British Foods (ABF) group which operates in the retail, food and agriculture sectors, is to establish a Technology Centre in Kilkenny, creating up to 50 new roles over five years.

The project is supported by the Irish government through IDA Ireland. AB Agri was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Peterborough, UK. The company employs over 3,500 people around the world and is a leading international agricultural business operating across the agri-food industry.  It produces and markets animal feed, nutrition and technology-based products and services in 65 countries to over 5 million customers. Kilkenny has been selected as the location of a new Technology Centre for Intellync, AB Agri’s data and technology business.  

Police are continuing with their investigation into an armed robbery at a farm in Lancashire. 

Police have now arrested a fourth suspect following the shooting at a farm in Aughton, Ormskirk back in July. Armed robbers shot a 65 year old man at the farmhouse before stealing four shotguns, watches and cash. 

The thieves managed to escape before police arrived. 

Police officers found a 65 year old man suffering from gunshot wounds. He was rushed to hospital where he underwent emergency leg surgery. 

A large scale fire in the Banbridge area has resulted in £35,000 worth of damage to farm machinery and the shed the equipment was stored in.

This is the fourth similar incident in the space of a week in the area and police want to end this worrying trend. 

The fire was reported at around 12.45am on Sunday morning and it took fire crews around seven hours to get the fire under control.

Farmers affected by August flooding can now apply for flood grants through the Farming Recovery Fund – a £2 million fund to help farmers with repairs.

Through the Farming Recovery Fund, farmers in parts of North Yorkshire and Wainfleet, Lincolnshire, who have suffered uninsurable damage to their property can now apply for grants between £500 and £25,000 to cover a number of repair costs.

Property investors and developers seeking out lucrative buys in prime Welsh locations can look to the latest property auction led by national auctioneer John Pye Property.

Development opportunities across residential, mixed-use commercial and agricultural land will be on offer at the John Pye Property online auction taking place on 25-26 September.

Three lots of agricultural land in Narberth, Pembrokeshire, totalling 63.5 acres is up for grabs, one of which, comprises 3 acres of land and 20,000 sq. ft of agricultural buildings. With a guide price of £95,000; this particular site is ideal for accommodation, cropping and cattle grazing.

After launching the new rural business magazine in early 2019, the team at Farm Diversity have spoken to many farmers up and down the country who have taken a successful leap into diversification.

We’ve heard from people setting up glampsites, education establishments and even wedding venues. The diversification projects support the farming side of the business and provide an additional stream of income – particularly valuable when times are tough in farming.

But that doesn’t mean it’s all been plain sailing for those diversifying their rural businesses – Farm Diversity features warts-and-all case studies of people who have worked hard to overcome adversity and reap the rewards.

A large scale farm fire in Perthshire broke out on Sunday night (15th September 2019) and is still being tackled over 12 hours later.