Report prepared by SEFARI Fellows David Cooke and Eulyn Pagaling
The James Hutton Institute
This research used participatory approaches to identify inefficiencies, challenges and strengths across Scottish ruminant supply chains. Stakeholders from across beef, dairy, sheep and wider industry contributed their perspectives. The findings highlighted both shared and sector specific challenges, the complexity of the supply chain and the importance of incorporating stakeholder views into policy development.#
This guidance seeks to safeguard the Scotch Whisky industry’s peat supply chain and credibility by outlining clear criteria for responsible peat extraction and harvesting. It expands on the Scotch Whisky Association’s Commitment to Responsible Peat Use, notably its first pillar of Responsible Extraction1, which should be read in conjunction with this guidance. It provides the industry with clear, actionable guiding principles and
Wild & Flo is a vertical farming enterprise based in rural North Yorkshire. The business combines organic principles with self-built technology to create a scalable, energy-independent model tailored to underutilised rural spaces.
Vertegrow began as a commercial vertical farming operator located at Waterside Farm in Aberdeenshire. In partnership with Intelligent Growth Solutions (IGS), the farm launched Scotland’s early vertical farm— deploying a single-tower, 300 m² controlled-environment system in 2020–21 to grow leafy greens, microgreens and herbs year-round with minimal energy use and rainwater harvesting. However, the venture has since shifted from food production to medicinal cannabis cultivation under the company Waterside Pharmaceuticals, founded by Martin Dickie, co-founder of BrewDog.
LettUs Grow is a Bristol-based B-Corp established in 2015 specialising in aeroponics technology.
The purpose of this guide is to outline options and considerations for businesses and organisations interested in developing controlled environment growing enterprises in the Highlands and Islands. It is intended for both existing growers looking to diversify their production systems and for businesses, community groups, SMEs, and enterprises with little or no background in horticulture.
Welcome to the January 2026 edition of The Spark, your update from SEFARI Gateway (Centre of Expertise for Knowledge Exchange & Innovation) on the latest research developments from the Scottish Government’s Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture (ENRA) strategic research programme. The ENRA Research Portfolio provides evidence for policy and practice across environment, climate change, biodiversity, land use, agriculture, food, and rural community agendas.
SEFARI blogs are a relaxed and accessible way to share event reports, individual perspectives or your work, whether it’s just beginning, underway, or complete. They help readers outside your immediate field understand why your research matters.
Think of your blog as something a policymaker, colleague, or curious member of the public might read over a coffee. You’ve got about 30 seconds to grab their attention, so make it engaging, clear, and relevant.
Environmental enrichment is about adding features to simple/unfurnished environments used to
house intensively managed farm animals. To be effective, enrichments should have positive effects
on animal welfare. This briefing provides a summary of current legal and farm assurance standards
for enrichment in the UK and an analysis of these standards in terms of delivering effective
enrichment.