Scotland's Farm Advisory Service Podcast

About Scotland's Farm Advisory Service Podcast

Scotland’s Farm Advisory Service is funded by the Scottish Government. Our podcast covers a range of topics which help support your farm or croft to be more profitable and sustainable.

Publisher

Scotland's Farm Advisory Service Podcast

Category

business · education · science

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

11 Jul 2018

Latest episode

23 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

2 of 642 episodes have a transcript.

1. 

   23 Sept 2026

   Stock Talk - Bluetongue: What You Need to Know

   Welcome to Stock Talk. In this episode James is joined by SRUC Veterinary Investigation Officer Kythe Mackenzie. In this episode, recorded on 17th September 2026, we discuss the Bluetongue Virus. It's important to note to listeners that the spread of the Bluetongue Virus, the control zones and restrictions is a constantly changing situation, and listeners should ensure that they check the Scot Gov website for the latest up to date information. This Podcast is intended to provide information about the Bluetongue Virus itself, how it is spread, risk factors, clinical symptoms, vaccinations, and testing. ResourcesScot Gov: Latest situation - Bluetongue: how to spot and report the disease - gov.scot (https://www.gov.scot/publications/bluetongue/pages/latest-situation/) Bluetongue movement restrictions for animals - Bluetongue: how to spot and report the disease - gov.scot (https://www.gov.scot/publications/bluetongue/pages/bluetongue-movement-restrictions-for-animals/) APHA map: Bluetongue Cases and Zones (https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/4867f4e1f680415898482df7aabb703d) AHDB: Vaccination cost calculator launched to help Battle Bluetongue | AHDB (https://ahdb.org.uk/news/vaccination-cost-calculator-launched-to-help-battle-bluetongue) BTV-3 vaccination finance calculator (sheep) | AHDB (https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/btv-3-vaccination-finance-calculator-sheep) BTV-3 vaccination finance calculator (dairy) | AHDB (https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/btv-3-vaccination-finance-calculator-dairy) BTV-3 vaccination finance calculator (beef) | AHDB (https://ahdb.org.uk/knowledge-library/btv-3-vaccination-finance-calculator-beef) Ruminant Health & Welfare website: Home - Ruminant Health & Welfare (https://ruminanthw.org.uk/) For more information, visit www.FAS.scot (http://www.fas.scot/) Facebook: @FASScot (https://www.facebook.com/FASScot/) National Advice Hub Phone: 0300 323 0161 (tel:03003230161) Email: advice@fas.scot (mailto:advice@fas.scot)

2. 

   17 Sept 2026

   Thrill of The Hill - Organic Outlook: Planning for Conversion

   Organic farming in Scotland is entering a period of renewed growth. The latest Scottish Government statistics show that, in 2025, 168,200 hectares of Scottish agricultural land were either fully organic or undergoing conversion — an increase of 28% on 2024 and 62% since 2021. Of this, 115,800 hectares were fully organic, while 52,400 hectares were in conversion, around double the area recorded the previous year. Organic and in-conversion land now accounts for 3.3% of Scotland’s agricultural area.For businesses considering making the change, organic conversion is about considerably more than simply replacing conventional inputs. The conversion period provides an opportunity to examine the whole farming system — including rotations, soil fertility, nutrient management, grass and clover production, livestock management, markets and the financial implications of operating within organic standards. A well-developed conversion plan is central to understanding whether organic farming is both practically achievable and financially sustainable for an individual business.In this episode of Thrill of the Hill, we are joined by Ewan Johnston, Principal Consultant with SAC Consulting and the Farm Advisory Service Topic Lead for Organics. Based at Thainstone in Aberdeenshire, Ewan has more than 25 years of agricultural consultancy experience, having worked in Shetland and Moray before moving to the North East. His career has given him experience across a broad range of Scottish farming systems, from crofting, hill and upland livestock enterprises through to intensive lowland arable businesses.Growing demand for organic advice led Ewan to complete an MSc in Organic Farming, and he has since developed particular expertise in organic production, soil and nutrient management, grassland and clover-based systems, alongside wider crop, livestock and farm business management. He is BASIS, FACTS and FBAASS accredited, sits on theScottish Organic Producers Association technical advisory committee and teaches organic farming to students at SRUC.As FAS Topic Lead for Organics, Ewan is also working to broaden the conversation beyond farms already committed to certification, looking at how principles and practices associated with organic farming can be integrated into conventional and regenerative systems.In this episode, we discuss what farmers and crofters need to consider before beginning an organic conversion, what goes into preparing an organic conversion plan, where the potential opportunities and challenges lie, and why planning the farming system as a whole is so important before taking the first step towards certification.This episode is brought to you by the Farm Advisory Service, presented by Alexander Pirie, produced by Heather Stuart, edited by Kieron Sim, with executive producers Kirstyn Blackwood and Kerry Hammond.Timestamps00.57 Introducing Ewan Johnston03.26 Where are we at now in Scotland with organic conversions04.19 What goes into the organic conversion plan08.14 The conversion plan is a live document09.50 Timeline for the conversion process11.18 Standard conversion and simultaneous conversion12.58 Be clear in your own mind why you want to go organic14.35 Information to include in a conversion plan18.00 How should seasonal grazing be viewed18.50 Partial conversion & parallel production20.55 Nutrient management24.06 Stocking rates and forage demand25.40 Dispelling the myth – animal health in organic systems28.10 Record keeping31.06 Common mistakes in conversion plans33.45 Ewan's take home messageResourcesAccess a range of FAS Organic information and guides here Organic Information | Helping farmers in Scotland (https://www.fas.scot/organics/organic-information/)Rural Payments and Services: Organic Farming: Conversion (https://www.ruralpayments.org/topics/all-schemes/agri-environment-climate-scheme/management-options-and-capital-items/organic-farming--conversion/)Soil Association (https://www.soilassociation.org/)Scottish Organic Producers Association (SOPA) (https://www.sopa.org.uk/)Get in touch with Ewan Ewan.Johnston@sac.co.uk (mailto:Ewan.Johnston@sac.co.uk)Get in touch with the show advice@fas.scot (mailto:advice@fas.scot)For more information, visit www.FAS.scot (http://www.fas.scot/)Facebook: @FASScot (https://www.facebook.com/FASScot/)National Advice HubPhone: 0300 323 0161 (tel:03003230161)Email: advice@fas.scot (mailto:advice@fas.scot)

3. 

   16 Sept 2026

   Rural Roundup - Bluetongue, Cost of Production & Feed Budgeting

   Welcome back to the Rural Round-up. On today’s episode George Chalmers and Tiffany Stephenson are joined by practice vet and SRUC veterinary investigation officer Andrew Robinson to discuss Bluetongue, along with any key updates and reminders for September. ResourcesBluetongue Latest updates can be found here: Gov.uk latest BTV updates (https://www.gov.uk/government/news/bluetongue-latest-situation)Bluetongue Clinical signs in sheep are usually more pronounced than in cattle but can be very variable. A range of photos can be found here: https://ahdb.org.uk/clinical-signs-of-bluetongue (https://ahdb.org.uk/clinical-signs-of-bluetongue).Suspect cases should be reported to APHA Scotland on 03000 600 704.FFIS 2026 Update https://www.ruralpayments.org/news-events/future-farming-investment-scheme-2026-announced.html (https://www.ruralpayments.org/news-events/future-farming-investment-scheme-2026-announced.html)Greening guidance 2027: https://www.ruralpayments.org/topics/all-schemes/basic-payment-scheme/basic-payment-scheme-full-guidance/greening---bps/greening-guidance/ (https://www.ruralpayments.org/topics/all-schemes/basic-payment-scheme/basic-payment-scheme-full-guidance/greening---bps/greening-guidance/)For more information, visit www.FAS.scot (http://www.fas.scot/)Twitter: @FASScot (https://twitter.com/FASScot)Facebook: @FASScot (https://www.facebook.com/FASScot/)National Advice HubPhone: 0300 323 0161 (tel:03003230161)Email: advice@fas.scot (mailto:advice@fas.scot)

Inside a recent episode

Agri Culture - John Scott and Jock Gibson: Farmstrong Scotland

Published 17 Nov 2023 · Transcript excerpt

[…] I think what you were saying there about giving time to, so in your instance, the local rugby club, that's almost ticking two of those well -being steps, isn't it, because you're connecting there, and I think what you were saying there about feeling bombarded at the moment, a lot of farmers, and things haven't changed, I think the way we connect has changed in recent decades, because of social media, and it's easy to feel like you're involved with other people, but a lot of farmers listening will be working on their own, and it is quite an isolating job, and they don't have that team around them, so if there's an opportunity out there for people to volunteer and give time, but also allows them to connect, I think that's a great example of how people can sort of tick to those things, they've got the social aspect of the rugby club, but you're also volunteering time, which makes you feel good as well. […]

Who has been a guest on Scotland's Farm Advisory Service Podcast

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Ben Lowe
• Harriet Lowe
• Professor Steven Thomson
• Kevin Fennelly
• George Muscatt

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

2,151,525

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Spotify

5.0 / 5

4 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 84 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

96

Social presence

0

YouTube

93

Engagement

85

Pitching Scotland's Farm Advisory Service Podcast

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting pitches.

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