Food for Thought: Soil, Food, Farming and Trade - Border Union Agricultural Society Business Breakfast, Kelso, 26 July 2024

The talks started with a provocation on the topic of soil from Professor Lorna Dawson, SEFARI Gateway Knowledge Exchange Lead for Environment and Senior Soil Scientist at the James Hutton Institute. She discussed the devastation from the dust bowl in the 1930s when an estimated 1.2 billion tons of soil were lost across 100 million acres in the US, to the current regenerative farming practices, which help to protect our soils. Lorna spoke about how, without living plant roots and fungal networks to hold soil in place, strong winds and floods can seriously erode our precious soils that deliver so many of the services on our planet such as fresh water, clean air and nutritious food.

Careers and skills for a future climate

So, how can this stalemate situation be overcome? Is there a way that young people can be given agency over their future careers? These are the questions that led to a group of people – from research, education and careers advice and with SEFARI Gateway support – to devise a novel method for positive action with young people and their potential future employers.

What does Regenerative Farming mean for you?

The GO Falkland event came back for its second year, after last year’s success, offering a thought-provoking two-day programme, packed with talks and panel discussions by representatives of the land-based industries in Scotland, policymakers, and scientists – all providing their perspective on regenerative land use in Scotland and beyond.

Go Falkland 2024

Following the success of last year’s inaugural event,GO Falkland is being held at Falkland Estate over two days on 17th and 18th July with a vibrant fringe of smaller venues and exhibitor spaces, local food and drinks, music and more. Led by farmers and those who work the land, the event creates a space to co-design and collaborate on creating a healthier and fairer future for Scotland’s land use and food system. More info is available at https://falklandestate.co.uk/go-falkland/.

17-18 July 2024 -

Sorry, this event has already happened. Have a look at our upcoming events.

Carbon neutrality requirements may bring vertical collaboration to the pig supply chain

The agri-food market environment, where the Scottish food and drink sector operates is often characterised by high price instability in product and input markets. In such an environment, effective business relationships along supply chains have the possibility to reduce uncertainty. For instance, by securing a more stable inflow of orders and increasing quality and safety assurances associated with inputs.

Does protected area status prevent biodiversity decline in plant communities?

Biodiversity is the variety of life on earth and is important to most aspects of our lives. We value biodiversity both for what it provides to humans, such as food, fuel, shelter, medicine, pollination, seed dispersal, climate regulation, water purification, nutrient cycling, and control of agricultural pests, and for the value it has in its own right. Biodiversity also holds value for potential benefits not yet recognized, such as new medicines and other possible unknown services.