Farming for a Better Future

Last week we had the chance to attend the Scottish Sustainable Agriculture Conference at Guardswell Farm in Perthshire – a really inspiring day bringing farmers, land managers and people working across sustainable agriculture together.

The theme was “Farming for a Better Future”, with a great mix of farmer-led discussions, practical workshops, demonstrations and plenty of time to chat and share ideas.

What stood out was the emphasis on practical, profitable farming alongside nature recovery. Guardswell itself is a brilliant example of this, combining regenerative livestock farming, conservation grazing, market gardening and a strong focus on building healthy soils and biodiversity. (Guardswell Farm)

There were lots of useful conversations around how farmers can make changes that work for their own land and businesses, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. For us, that’s a vital message for the Scottish Borders too – recognising the huge diversity of farms and landscapes, while creating opportunities for farmers to learn from each other and try things out.

A really positive day, and plenty of ideas to bring back to the Borders and to our work supporting farmers through SBCAN and Borders Farmers 2045.