Along with our regular monthly updates on policy, cereals, beef, sheep and milk, in this edition we also have a spotlight on geopolitics and global agricultural trends.

Show Notes

00:36 News in Brief

03:24 Policy Briefs – Muirburn licencing, Sheep and Goat Inventory, PSF claims, slurry storage regulations, visitor levies, key dates, newly released publications.

13:47 Cereals – Review of 2025 and looking ahead to 2026

20:13 Beef – Review of 2025 and looking ahead to 2026

31:20 Sheep – Review of 2025 and looking ahead to 2026

36:06 Milk – Review of 2025 and looking ahead to 2026

42:54 Sector focus – Geopolitics and global agricultural trends

50:21 Further articles – Ledmacoy free-range bronze turkeys (FAS TV), Organics at Bowhouse (FAS TV) and Agronomy Past, Present & Future (FAS Podcast)

FAS Links and Resources:

Newsletters - Business & Policy Edition - Farm Advisory Service

Other Links and Resources:

National Flood Advisory Service

Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill

Glyphosate Renewal Group

Next Generation Practical Training Fund

Peatland Training Fund

Environmental Authorisation (Scotland) Regulations (EASR) 2018

Wildlife Management & Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024

Sheep and Goat Inventory

Farming and Water Scotland - Slurry and Manure Storage

Antimicrobial resistance

Rural Scotland data dashboard 2025: data tables

Livestock identification and traceability: guidance

The First National Good Food Nation Plan

Welcome to Stock Talk hosted by Kirsten Williams. On today’s episode Kirsten is joined by Dr Basil Lowman who has been a beef specialist with SAC Consulting for 55 years. Kirsten describes Basil as a legend in the beef industry. We hear about Basil’s varied career, his passion for the industry, how he thrives on challenge and is a pioneer of new ideas.

Episode Timestamps

01.37 Let’s go back in time

09.13 Body condition scoring of cattle

16.38 The development of silage and straw-based rations

24.24 The Green Shed

29.43 Beef farming in 10 years’ time

Related FAS Resources

Cattle resources for farmers from Farm Advisory Service | FAS

Body Condition Scoring - Maintaining condition (FAS)

Other Related Resources

The Benefits of Cow Condition Scoring - Part 1 (QMS)

The Benefits of Cow Condition Scoring - Part 2

Greenshed Graphic - SRUC

GreenShed video - SRUC - YouTube

For more information, visit  www.FAS.scot

Facebook: @FASScot

National Advice Hub

Phone: 0300 323 0161

Email: advice@fas.scot

Welcome to this special episode of the Rural Roundup, one of a six-part series called “Unsung Heroes”. In this episode Calum Johnston sits down one on one with James Orr an Agricultural Advisor with a special interest in the carbon footprint of livestock systems. In the previous five episodes we heard from Farmers from five different beef and dairy farms in South West Scotland about their “Unsung Heroes”. Technology, Data, Biodiversity, Machinery and Efficiency. These Farmers and their Farms evidence that livestock farming in Scotland, has been constantly evolving, improving their practices not only for better profitability, better resilience, better output and better lives, but by doing these things, and making changes big or small, they are reducing their impact on the planet day, by day.

James is going to tell us more about some of his other “Unsung Heroes” not just for Beef & Dairy Farms, but applicable to any agricultural system, and also give us his view on Agriculture’s current position in the climate change conversation.

Thanks for joining us for this special episode of the Rural Roundup. Check out the other five episodes of the Unsung Heroes series, all available to listen wherever you normally do, right now!

If you’d like to get in touch or find out more about anything we discussed in the Podcast, head to the show notes.

This episode was presented by Calum Johnston, produced by Kerry Hammond and edited by Cameron Waugh, in association with the Scottish Government.

Related FAS Resources

Climate Change resources for farmers from Farm Advisory Service

Farming for a Better Climate | 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