Farmers could benefit from the Government’s coronavirus Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS) but they need to study the small print first.

As farms across Scotland begin the spring work in earnest everyone is having to use common sense in their working practices to minimise the risk of contracting Covid-19 or spreading the disease.

Being presented with Visit Scotland’s Thistle Award for running the country’s most hospitable bed and breakfast is quite an accolade, but it is just part of what has become a diversified farm business for Louise Nicoll and her husband Graeme.

The Covid-19 outbreak has hastened the introduction on a new livestock sales platform involving ANM Group.

The Royal Highland Show, Scotland’s biggest outdoor event, normally attracting nearly 200,000 visitors, has been cancelled.

Scotland’s calf registration during 2019 reached 552,700 head, the same as 2018 but 2.5 per cent lower than in 2017, according to the latest market commentary by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS).

Undertaking a 24 hour ploughing marathon is a considerable feat of endurance on a modern tractor but last weekend (March 7 and 8) Perthshire man Dougie McNicoll completed the challenge without any modern technology. 

Every beef system in Scotland can be seen as sustainable, as can every sheep system.

Nearly half a billion pounds worth of livestock was sold through Scotland’s auction marts in 2019.

NFU Scotland has launched its policy proposals for the next decade with the period up to 2024 chiming closely with the Scottish Government’s well-aired Stability and Simplicity programme.