Scotland’s agricultural sector relies heavily on seasonal non-UK workers, particularly from central and eastern Europe, to meet its labour demand. Despite their importance for this sector, there was a lack of detailed information about them This case study draws on findings from SRUC’s recent study, funded by the Scottish Government, which aimed to improve our understanding of the labour market in Scottish agriculture.
By Max Coleman, RBGE
By Megan Welford, RISS
The Rural Innovation Support Service (RISS) launched in February 2018, with the aim of enabling farmers, foresters and crofters in Scotland to explore their innovative ideas through collaboration. RISS is funded by the European and Scottish Rural Development Programmes.
If you are planning to attend this year’s Royal Highland Show, you could join us for our networking event celebrating the place of young people in Scotland’s land based industries.
The opening address will be delivered by the Minister for Employability and Training, Jamie Hepburn MSP, followed by contributions from Professor Wayne Powell, Principal and Chief Executive, Scotland's Rural College and a personal perspective from Sarah Millar, Farming and Land Use Manager, Soil Association Scotland.
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As the SEFARI Knowledge Exchange Sectorial Lead for Soils and Crops, Ken's particularly interested in how plant roots play a critical role in mechanically stabilising soil, so he never thought he’d be enlisting the help of a Pufferfish to communicate research!
Scotland’s thriving food and drink industry is a major contributor to the economy, worth £14 billion each year. Ambition 2030, the new industry-led strategy, aims to increase the value of the sector in Scotland to £30 billion by 2030. This is to be achieved in the context of some significant challenges.
The global population continues to rise, there are fewer resources available, and we have a changing climate. We live in a period of geopolitical change, and we must ensure that economic growth is not at the expense of public health or our natural capital.
By Professor Ian Toth, Head of the Plant Health Centre
By Annemarie Gibson, Film Producer, Circamedia
SEFARI think a lot about how to get their research out to the right people and in the right form. As filmmakers so do we. Obviously we think film is the strongest form of communication and has the potential to really grab the public’s interest - showing is always much better than just telling.
I am a soft fruit researcher and blueberry breeder who has worked at the James Hutton Institute for 11 years. For the last eight years, I have focussed on developing a blueberry industry in the United Kingdom and gained a wealth of knowledge regarding cultivar performance, as well as management and environmental constraints. My current projects involve hyperspectral image analysis of plants for biotic and abiotic stresses, understanding yield instability in blueberries, mycorrhizae roles in plant establishment and enhancement of blueberry genetics.
Blueberries have gained in popularity amongst UK consumers. Currently UK blueberries supply only 5% of demand and there is a huge opportunity to increase home grown supply.