Natural Economy

New hedgerow and grassland management guides for farmers

New videos and practical guides have been created for farmers to help wildlife, such as pollinating insects, thrive on farms.…

SRUC
28/03/2023

Sharing a Canadian perspective on the 2023 Rural Housing Conference in Birnam, Perthshire

"Rurality is defined by community, and in the post-COVID era, community is no longer defined just by those in your immediate vicinity. By embracing and discovering new partnerships, rural spaces can only become more sustainable and resilient for years to come."…

Blake Glassford
28/03/2023

UK Government must rethink support for rural people living in poverty, say experts in new book

The needs of the poorest and most vulnerable people living in the countryside are overlooked and underserved by UK Government policy in comparison with those in urban areas, say academics in a new book.…

SRUC
14/03/2023

Where there’s muck, there’s brass

Livestock dung is typically used as a fertiliser or as a source of biogas for green energy applications, but it could be used to create the next generation of cellulosic materials according to a new study led by SRUC scientists.…

SRUC
13/03/2023

New project to sharpen seafood skills

Researchers at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) have been awarded almost £39k to develop new seafood skills training courses in partnership with Scottish Sea Farms. …

SRUC
23/02/2023

Growing for gold

Cutting-edge research will be used in a £375,000 project to find a plant-based alternative for the recovery of gold, silver and copper nanoparticles from mining waste. …

SRUC
16/02/2023

New research to tackle cattle methane emissions in Africa

Together with the International Livestock Research Institute, SRUC has been awarded £1.5 million by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help develop a selection index for the smallholder dairy system in the hopes of breeding a more environmentally friendly dairy cow.…

SRUC
13/02/2023

Raising a glass to climate change mitigation on vineyards

Led by scientists at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), researchers are investigating what the French viticultural sector are doing to mitigate climate change.…

SRUC
31/01/2023

2023 – a big year for biodiversity

SRUC’s Thriving Natural Capital Challenge Centre has been awarded a Natural Environment Research Council grant to focus on network building for nature positive projects - between Scottish biodiversity uplift programmes happening on the ground, and the investment and private finance sector. …

Hannah Rudman
26/01/2023

Agrecalc appoints first CEO

In a major step towards becoming a spin-out company, Agrecalc, the award-winning and market-leading carbon footprint tool developed by SAC Consulting together with SRUC researchers, has appointed its first chief executive.…

SRUC
23/01/2023

Is growing potatoes sustainable and profitable?

Potatoes are an amazingly versatile food and an important part of our culture in Scotland. But is growing potatoes sustainable and profitable?…

Dr Phil Burgess
23/01/2023

Farmers urged to benchmark carbon footprint

SAC Consulting has again been awarded the government contract to conduct a nationwide survey which helps farms to save money while also benchmarking their carbon footprint and nitrate. Farms completing the Scottish Farm Business Survey will be given a full carbon footprint measurement using Agrecalc, SAC Consulting’s award-winning farm carbon calculator.…

SRUC
11/01/2023