Episodes

  • 17: Integrated Pest Management and the Voluntary Initiative

    17: Integrated Pest Management and the Voluntary Initiative
    Mar 24 2025
    Image copyright Craig Stephen
    How can you improve pesticide management on farm? In this podcast we chat with Neal Evans, Operational Director from The Voluntary Initiative and David Bell, farmer and chairperson of The Voluntary Initiative. Throughout the podcast we discuss the management of pesticides, integrated pest management and options open to farmers.

    Supporting material
    Voluntary Initiative https://voluntaryinitiative.org.uk/

    Integrated Pest Management https://voluntaryinitiative.org.uk/schemes/integrated-pest-management/

    NRoSO The National Register or Sprayer Operators https://voluntaryinitiative.org.uk/schemes/nroso/

    IPM Assessment Plan https://www.planthealthcentre.scot/scottish-ipm-assessment-plan

    PEPFAA Code https://www.farmingandwaterscotland.org/resource-category/pesticides/

    Pesticide Management https://www.fas.scot/environment/water-management/pesticide-management/

    Think Water https://voluntaryinitiative.org.uk/schemes/stewardship/think-water/

    National Sprayer Testing scheme https://www.nsts.org.uk/

    Farming and Water Scotland website https://www.farmingandwaterscotland.org/

    Plant Health for Scotland https://www.planthealthcentre.scot/

    BeeConnected https://beeconnected.org.uk/
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    39 mins
  • 16: Riverbank Stabilisation - what do you need to do

    16: Riverbank Stabilisation - what do you need to do
    Mar 4 2025
    Riverbank stabilisation features can been a key solution to protecting riverbanks and safeguarding key agricultural land. In this podcast episode we chat with Helen Reid, Senior Hydromorphologist from SEPA and Alex Pirie from SAC Consulting about schemes throughout Scotland, the practical and technical elements land managers need to know before approaching a project and potential funding paths that are currently open.

    Supporting material

    • AECS capital option Restoring (Protecting) River Banks
    • SEPA design guide https://www.sepa.org.uk/media/219450/bank_protection_guidance.pdf
    • Videos showing the sites after installation Sustainable riverbank protection | Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
    • Farming and Water Scotland Natural Flood Management page https://www.farmingandwaterscotland.org/managing-water/natural-flood-management/
    • Wild Trout Trust flume video showing different types of bank protection Rebalancing bank erosion rates
    • Farm Advisory Service - Water Management https://www.fas.scot/environment/water-management/
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    36 mins
  • 15: Organic matter - why is it important?

    15: Organic matter - why is it important?
    Jan 29 2025
    Image © Craig Stephen

    Organic matter, why is it important, what benefits does it bring to the soil? In this podcast we discuss organic matter, from what it is, to the benefits that can be gained from improving the quantity in your soil. With Zack Reilly from Scottish Agronomy and Wull Dryburgh from SEPA the podcast discusses the technical break down of soil to the interaction with land managers who have spent years dedicated to improving their soil.

    The conversation then turns to soil organic carbon and what that actually means, and what land managers need to know.

    Supporting material:
    Soils and nutrients
    Valuing your soils
    PEPFAA Code: Soils
    Farm Advisory Service: Soils
    Scotland's soils
    James Hutton Institute: Soils maps
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    42 mins
  • 14: Magic Margins - helping maintain soil on farm

    14: Magic Margins - helping maintain soil on farm
    Dec 13 2024
    In this podcast we chat to David Boldrin from JHI about how magic margins can be used to help reduce diffuse pollution on farm and help maintain soil on farm.
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    28 mins
  • 13: Reduce, reuse, recycle: clean and dirty water on farm

    13: Reduce, reuse, recycle: clean and dirty water on farm
    Oct 24 2024
    In this podcast Jackie McColm and Robert Ramsay discuss managing water on farm. Looking at ways and methods farmers can reduce clean water entering slurry storage tanks, therefore, increasing capacity and leading to cost savings.

    Additionally we discuss ways that farmers can reuse and recycle water on farm, which increases efficiency, resilience to extreme weather and can provide sustainable water management on farm.

    Further resources:
    Managing water around the steading
    Ideas for keeping clean and dirty water separate
    Treating water with SuDS
    Alternative Watering
    Managing Water Margins
    Know The Rules
    Water Management
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    31 mins
  • 12: Environmental and animal welfare considerations of dealing with sheep scab

    12: Environmental and animal welfare considerations of dealing with sheep scab
    Oct 2 2024
    Photo ©Neil Fell
    This podcast focuses on how farmers can manage sheep scab. In particular discussing what farmers need to be aware of and the rules and regulations that need to be followed when managing sheep dip from animal welfare, to environmental regulation.
    Supporting material:
    Scab mites | SCOPS

    Sheep Scab | Moredun

    Stop the Spread (youtube.com)

    Control of sheep scab fas.scot/downloads/technical-note-tn636-control-of-sheep-scab/

    PEPFAA CODE: Sheep Dip https://www.farmingandwaterscotland.org/resource/sheep-dip/

    Know the Rules Factsheet 13: Sheep dipping and handling facilities https://www.farmingandwaterscotland.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/KTR13Sheepdipping.pdf
    CAR Practical Guide https://www.sepa.org.uk/regulations/water/
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    25 mins
  • 10: Riparian Planting for land management.

    10: Riparian Planting for land management.
    May 2 2024
    Riparian Planting can offer vast benefits to improving water quality and easing land management. In this podcast we examine the benefits of these woodland, looking at funding streams available to discussing the great array of benefits that Riparian woodlands provide with SEPA, Scottish Forestry and SAC Consulting.

    Supporting material

    Riverwoods https://www.riverwoods.org.uk/

    Forest Research https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/

    Forest Grant Scheme:

    https://forestry.gov.scot/support-regulations/forestry-grants

    https://www.ruralpayments.org/publicsite/futures/topics/all-schemes/forestry-grant-scheme/

    Scottish Woodlands: Woodland Carbon Code https://www.scottishwoodlands.co.uk/services/carbon/#goto-woodland-carbon-code

    Rural Payments and Service: Woodland Creation https://www.ruralpayments.org/topics/all-schemes/forestry-grant-scheme/woodland-creation/

    Specialist Advice Application https://www.fas.scot/specialist-advice/

    Scottish Forestry Map Viewer https://forestry.gov.scot/support-regulations/scottish-forestry-map-viewer

    Scottish Forestry Local offices https://forestry.gov.scot/contact?id=120

    Train hugger Grant Scheme https://rfs.org.uk/grants/grants-for-resilient-woodlands/

    Future Woodlands Scotland https://www.futurewoodlands.org.uk/funding/

    Woodland Trust https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/

    Scottish Forestry Strategy 2019-2029 https://forestry.gov.scot/forestry-strategy

    Integrating Trees Network https://forestry.gov.scot/support-regulations/farm-woodlands/integrating-trees-network

    Scottish Forestry: Right Tree in the Right Place: Planning for Forestry and Woodlands https://forestry.gov.scot/publications/96-the-right-tree-in-the-right-place-planning-for-forestry-and-woodlands

    Farm Advisory Service:

    · Farm Woodlands https://www.fas.scot/crops-soils/farm-woodlands/

    · Woodland creation https://www.fas.scot/crops-soils/farm-woodlands/woodland-creation/

    · Right Tree In the Right Place Video https://youtu.be/LJaDmC1nqBI
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    28 mins
  • 11: Working with SEPA to manage water flow on farm

    11: Working with SEPA to manage water flow on farm
    Apr 25 2024
    In this podcast we discuss with Alasdair Matheson and Graeme Henderson from SEPA, and Peter Lindsay, from SAC Consulting, how land managers can work with SEPA to manage water flow on farm. Focusing on what farmers can do with regard to ditches, drainage and dredging on farm we discuss the rules and guidelines which must be followed. Through our discussion we focus on the management actions, which can be done without involvement from SEPA, to complex licensing process.

    Supporting information:

    SEPA have produced a Dredging webpage where you will find all legislation and guidance: https://www.sepa.org.uk/regulations/water/engineering/dredging/

    On this page you will also find a Land Managers Guide

    Farming Water Scotland have many resources on managing field ditches and drains, which can be accessed here: https://www.farmingandwaterscotland.org/managing-water-on-your-farm/field-ditches-and-drains/

    All regulations and authorisation procedures for carrying our any activity which may affect Scotland’s’ water environment can be found on SEPA’ website here https://www.sepa.org.uk/regulations/water/ this page includes a link to the CAR Practical Guide mentioned in this podcast.

    Please contact SEPA to discuss any water management project via their email: waterpermitting@sepa.org.uk or please call 03000 99 66 99.

    For details on sniffers flood risk management conference please click here.

    Farming Water Scotland have great resources on managing water on your farm using natural flood management techniques, for further information please visit here.

    The Farm Advisory Service has produced a vast amount of material to help manage water on farm, a selection of materials are below:

    3D Buffer Zones https://www.fas.scot/article/3d-buffer-zones/

    Woodland creation https://www.fas.scot/crops-soils/farm-woodlands/woodland-creation/

    Water management https://www.fas.scot/environment/water-management/
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    32 mins