SAC Consulting, part of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), has announced the continuation of its partnership with the Scottish Government to deliver the Farm Advisory Service (FAS) One to Many programme.
Building on its success since the FAS launch in 2016, SAC Consulting has secured a contract to extend the service until 2027.
The need to provide this support to Scotland’s agriculture sector has never been greater as evolving demands for sustainability create significant change, opportunities and uncertainty for farmers and crofters.
Rural Affairs Secretary, Mairi Gougeon said: ‘I am pleased that SAC Consulting and Ricardo AEA will continue to deliver our Farm Advisory Service (FAS) for the next three-years. Scottish agriculture is transforming, and it is more important than ever that farmers and crofters can access the right support at the right time.
“The FAS is allowing those in the agricultural sector to access crucial support that can prove vital to their businesses.”
The Agricultural Reform Route Map for Scotland outlines the transition towards sustainable and regenerative agriculture, introducing a new framework of changes to support schemes starting in 2025. These changes encourage farmers and crofters to adopt practices aligned with environmental sustainability. This is coupled with the Vision for Agriculture, Scotland’s commitment to transformative change, where land use and management positively contribute to addressing climate change and biodiversity loss.
The FAS is key to ensuring that the industry receive the necessary support to navigate these changes, providing comprehensive advice to farmers, crofters and land managers which aids them in maintaining domestic food security in a sustainable way, and which has climate and nature restoration at its heart.
Chloe McCulloch, FAS lead at SAC Consulting commented: “We are incredibly proud to deliver Scotland’s Farm Advisory Service and are delighted that we can continue to provide this essential support for the industry we are so passionate about.
“We take great pride in providing the very substantial expertise of SAC Consulting and SRUC, whilst facilitating a diverse range of other expert voices in the programme, from local practice vets and independent consultants, to leading centres of research across the world.
“The programme is designed to support farmers and crofters with ‘something for everyone’ irrespective of their location or type or scale of farming, or how they like to engage with advice. As well as more traditional forms of advice the programme includes FAS TV which brings the ‘farm visit’ experience directly to the viewer’s phone or television, FAS Sounds and its hugely popular podcast shows, and peer-to-peer learning programme FAS Connect.”
SAC Consulting’s network of offices across the country, combined with cutting-edge SRUC research, ensures they are at the heart of Scotland’s land-based industries.
The continuation of the FAS contract reaffirms SAC Consulting’s commitment to supporting Scotland’s rural sector during this pivotal period of change, ensuring that the community is well-equipped to thrive in a sustainable and resilient agricultural future.