Rural and Environment

  • Animals and animal products after Brexit

    17th October 2019 by

    Scotland does not want to leave the EU but there is a strong risk that we may end up leaving without a deal in place on 31st October 2019. While the Scottish Government is doing as much as it can to mitigate the impact of leaving the EU, we will not be able to prevent or address every impact. Leaving the EU will mean things we are used to happening, or which we agreed to as part of a Member State, will no longer stand. This note sets out what you need to do what you need to do to…

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  • Plant and plant products after Brexit

    16th October 2019 by

    Scotland does not want to leave the EU but there is a strong risk that we may end up leaving without a deal in place on 31st October 2019. While the Scottish Government is doing as much as it can to mitigate the impact of leaving the EU, we cannot mitigate for every impact. Leaving the EU will mean things we currently take for granted, or which we agreed to as part of a Member State, will no longer stand. This note sets out what you need to do to ensure you can continue to import/export plant and plant products…

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  • Women in Agriculture

    15th October 2019 by

    It has been a privilege to co-Chair the Scottish Government’s Women in Agriculture Taskforce. It is mostly made up of women, though a few men are also involved. They have a range of backgrounds, but all of them have an interest and a stake in the future of farming and food production. They all have real life experience, knowledge and skills to share. In particular, I want to pay tribute to the drive, energy and enthusiasm of my co-Chair Joyce Campbell. She has been key to the taskforce’s success. But….

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  • Pet Travel to the EU after Brexit

    15th October 2019 by

    Scotland does not want to leave the EU but there is a strong risk that we may end up leaving without a deal in place on 31st October 2019. While the Scottish Government is doing as much as it can to mitigate the impact of leaving the EU, we cannot mitigate for every impact. Leaving the EU will mean things we currently take for granted, or which we agreed to as part of a Member State, will no longer stand. This note sets out what you need to do what you need to do to make sure your family pet…

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  • Trading with the EU after Brexit

    14th October 2019 by

    Scotland does not want to leave the EU but there is a strong risk that we may end up leaving without a deal in place on 31st October 2019. While the Scottish Government is doing as much as it can to mitigate the impact of leaving the EU, we cannot mitigate for every impact. Leaving the EU will mean things we currently take for granted, or which we agreed to as part of a Member State, will no longer stand. This note sets out what you need to do to ensure your food and drink business can continue to import/export…

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  • EU citizens working in Scotland after Brexit

    11th October 2019 by

    Scotland does not want to leave the EU but there is a strong risk that we may end up leaving without a deal in place on 31st October 2019. While the Scottish Government is doing as much as it can to mitigate the impact of leaving the EU, we cannot mitigate for every impact. Leaving the EU will mean things we currently take for granted, or which we agreed to as part of a Member State, will no longer stand. This note sets out what you need to make sure you and your family can continue to live and work…

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  • Avian Flu – Top Tips

    7th October 2019 by

    Although there is a constant risk of avian flu in the UK, with Autumn now here, there is an increased likelihood of avian influenza appearing. For those who aren’t aware, avian influenza (more commonly known as bird flu) is a highly contagious disease of birds. It can have serious impacts on bird health and welfare, and can potentially lead to bird fatalities. In extremely serious cases it can affect the health of humans and other mammals. So how can bird flu be introduced to the UK? The most common way is if birds come in to direct or indirect contact…

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  • In the news: global climate strikes

    20th September 2019 by

    You may have seen in the news today that a day of action is taking place across the world to raise awareness of the global climate emergency.  Scotland is a world leader in tackling climate change. We have already almost halved greenhouse gas emissions since 1990 while growing the economy, increasing employment and productivity. Now...

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  • Rural Support Bill

    13th September 2019 by

    Farmers and agriculture businesses in Scotland are at the heart of our rural communities. They manage and protect our countryside, produce high quality food and are a key part of any solution to climate change. With the UK hurtling towards a potential no deal Brexit, it is absolutely vital that we have the necessary mechanisms in place to mitigate any impacts as far as possible. Try as we might, we can’t mitigate against every impact, so individual farmers, crofters, land managers, individuals and businesses should be looking seriously at what they can do now, if they are not already.

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  • Rural Scotland and the Programme for Government

    12th September 2019 by

    Rural Scotland makes a vital contribution to our national economy. Our rural and island assets provide natural and business resources for key economic sectors, especially food and drink, but also energy, tourism, creative industries and life science. I am clear that we must work to build on these successes to improve the wellbeing of our rural, coastal and island communities and provide a positive future for them. Having declared a global climate emergency, achieving our climate ambitions will involve harnessing the power and capital of rural Scotland. This is a challenge, but also an opportunity for us to help people…

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