Natural Economy

From grain to glass: addressing Scope 3 emissions

The carbon footprint of the drinks industry extends beyond the brewery and distillery gates. While direct emissions are often under scrutiny, the indirect Scope 3 emissions, particularly those associated with agricultural supply chains like barley, wheat and hop cultivation, tend to be overlooked. With growing demand for transparency and sustainable practices, addressing and mitigating these Scope 3 emissions is vital to meet global climate change targets.…

Iain Boyd
24/05/2024

Nature and biodiversity strategies: ‘Bio-washing’ in the corporate sphere

England’s new policy on Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) has been introduced this February. Industries aiming to develop land will have to provide 10% net gain in biodiversity, maintained for at least 30 years. The goal? For development to contribute to nature recovery and be nature positive. It may only be a matter of time before Scotland and Wales adopt similar policies as well.…

Tushaani Naudi
24/05/2024

Are cows killing the planet?

“Cows are killing the planet”. This statement is something that is increasingly heard from farmers who believe that this narrative is widely accepted by environmentalists, climate scientists and the…

Séamus Murphy
24/05/2024

The rise of regenerative agriculture for businesses

With the industry committed to promote regenerative agriculture, how can they effectively ensure that targets are delivered on the ground?…

Lorna Cole
24/05/2024

New project to map landowners in Scotland

With concentration of landownership in Scotland the highest in Europe, new research aims to understand whether recent land transactions are leading to - and fuelled by - land use change, such as towards achieving net zero.…

SRUC
30/04/2024

New short course lets students of all ages get their hands dirty as tattie roguers

SRUC’s Potato Roguing Course provides students of all ages to learn from our decades of experience, gain a valuable qualification, and have the opportunity to become a key part of Scotland’s world-leading seed potato industry.…

SRUC
17/04/2024

SRUC and HIE partnership to benefit rural economy

A new collaboration focusing on land and sea-based innovation is aiming to boost the Highlands and Islands economy.…

SRUC
09/04/2024

Scotland Office Minister visits Barony

Scotland Office Minister John Lamont visited SRUC to see how digital innovation funded by more than £21 million of UK Government investment is helping to grow the rural economy.…

SRUC
15/02/2024

Embracing Industrial Strategy: Pioneering High-Value Manufacturing in Food and Drink

With a UK General Election expected this year, industrial policy – the concept of direct government intervention to boost particular sectors of the economy – is moving into the spotlight.…

Wayne Powell
30/01/2024

African project wins SRUC’s Enterprise Challenge competition

An Edinburgh student looking to improve food systems in Africa has been named overall winner of the annual Enterprise Challenge competition run by SRUC.…

SRUC
29/01/2024

£500k project explores use of seaweed in chicken feed

SRUC is involved in a pioneering initiative to revolutionise poultry feed production by exploring the viability of a highly coveted red seaweed as a sustainable substitute for soybean meal in UK chicken feed.…

SRUC
18/12/2023

SRUC joins new centre tackling food security and climate change

Scientists from SRUC will carry out research into plant breeding and animal nutrition to increase productivity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of a new centre announced by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.…

SRUC
21/11/2023