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This week: 19/07/19

19th July 2019

Disposable cups An expert panel in Scotland has issued a report recommending a charge on disposable drinks cups as a method of reducing single cup use. Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: “Disposable cups present an obvious littering issue, but there is ever-growing awareness within our society of the impact single-use plastic has on our wider…

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In the news: landing obligations

16th July 2019

You may have seen in the news and online reports relating to a House of Lords inquiry that found fishermen are continuing to illegally discard dead fish back into the sea.

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In the news: Raptor persecution

16th July 2019

You may have seen in the news and online, Chris Packham’s piece on Hen Harriers and raptor persecution on Scottish grouse moors.

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This week: 05/07/19

5th July 2019

Aquaculture innovation funding Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing announced £743,000 for aquaculture innovation projects. Rural support payments Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing announced that the Scottish Government has met the EU payment threshold of at least 95.24% for all 5 CAP Pillar 1 schemes being paid by the deadline of 30th June 2019.  More than…

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This week: 14/6/19

14th June 2019

Rural skills plan A new strategic approach to support the skills needs of rural Scotland has been launched by Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing and Skills Minister Jamie Hepburn. The Skills Action Plan for Rural Scotland aims to address skill shortages, talent retention and attraction, and demographic challenges, through enhancing work-based learning and increasing access…

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In the news: Net-zero commitment

12th June 2019

The UK Government has finally announced that greenhouse gas emissions in the UK will be cut to almost zero by 2050, which is being reported widely this morning.

The Scottish Government is determined to stop contributing to climate change within a generation and acted on the advice from the Committee on Climate Change immediately by lodging amendments to the Climate Change (Scotland) Bill to set a legally binding target of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 at the latest.

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This week: 7/6/19

7th June 2019

Food and Drink exports A second phase of the Scotland Food and Drink Export Plan has been announced – to help the industry to achieve its overall aim to double turnover value to £30 billion by 2030. The Food and Drink Export Plan is supported by £4.5 million OF joint funding from the Scottish Government,…

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This week: 31/5/19

31st May 2019

Attracting new entrant farmers More public sector land has been released to people who want to become farmers, following a Scottish Government scheme. Around 6,400 hectares of land has been made available from public bodies such as Forestry and Land Scotland, Crown Estate Scotland, Scottish Water, Highland and Islands Enterprise, East Lothian and Highland Councils….

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In the news – Severe weather impact

11th April 2019

You may have seen the WWF report on the Economic Impact of Extreme Weather on Scottish Agriculture in the papers today. The report suggests that Scottish farmers lost up to £161 million due to the Beast from the East last year.

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Women in the Rural Economy: Part 13

11th March 2019

When the place of birth on your birth certificate is recorded as The New Forest, it’s maybe a sign of what is to come. Claire Glaister, FICFor, forestry consultant, member of the Institute of Chartered Foresters’ Professional on what its like to work in the rural economy.

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