Tackling Climate Change - Training for Scottish Farmers

Minister for Environment Roseanna Cunningham today launched a new programme to help agricultural businesses prepare for the impacts of climate change.

Over a three year period, Soil Association Scotland's Climate Change Programme will deliver training, technical information, and one to one support to equip farmers with skills and knowledge to make their business more resilient, and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG)emissions.

According to a report to the Scottish Governent last may, agriculture could account for 25% of Scotland's total GHG emissions, and a release of only 1% of Scotland's soil-borne carbon annually would more than double total emissions.  Significant changes in agricultural practice seem certain to be necessary to enable the government to deliver its commitment to cut Scotland's emissions by 80% by 2050.  Soil Association Scotland's Climate Change Programme will help to bring those changes about.

Attending today's launch were NFU President Jim McLaren and Hugh Raven, Director of Soil Association Scotland.  Jim McLaren said "Changes to our climate present one of the greatest challenges ever faced for agricultural production and the supply of food.  Agriculture is often fingered as being a large part of the climate change problem - on the contrary I see our industry as offering a large part of the solution.

"However, sustainabilty in the longer term will depend on being able to adapt production methods to become even less carbon consumptive.  Soil Association Scotland's new programme has lots to offer in terms of developing and encouraging best practice amongst farmers, without adversely affecting their ability to produce food and maintain the environment."

Hugh Raven said: "Scotland's farmers are known for being adaptable and resourceful.  They will need to become even more so - both to take advantage of the opoprtunities offered by a warming world, and to reduce large scale-emissions from agriculture."

The programme begins with a day long training course looking at practical and cost effective ways to improve soil management, reduce dependence on inputs, and increase carbon sequestration.  It will run on six days between May and October, hosted by a variety of farms across Scotland - covering topics including nutrient budgeting, use of farmyard manure, and conservation of soil organic matter.  Participants will receive ongoing technical updates and one to one support over the life of the programme.

The programme has been developed to have wide relevance, and is open to anyone with a professional interest in agriculture and climate change.  Some of the techniques covered are commonly used by organic farmers, but the programme is designed to benefit also those with little or no interest in organic farming or certification.

For further information please visit www.soilassociationscotland.org