December 2021

As the end of the year grows near, our thoughts inevitably turn to what we’ve achieved...or not!  It's worth remembering that we are still living in a global pandemic and, with the shortage of food-grade co2, container port delays and labour shortages, 2021 has been every bit as challenging as 2020 for some businesses.  So, if you've been thinking about tasks that remain outstanding, don't be too hard on yourself!  Many of the supply chain issues are set to continue into 2022 and this is likely to be exacerbated by rising energy costs, so what do we have to look forward to in 2022?

The Year of Stories - 2022 is Scotland's Year of Stories, a year in which stories inspired by, created, or written in Scotland are showcased and celebrated. As a full-service marketing communications agency, we use our skills to give land-based and foodie businesses the opportunity to tell their story to the world using a plethora of channels.  Share your stories online using #TalesOfScotland (and get in touch if we can help your story be seen and heard).

In-Person Events - we've all missed our county shows, highland games and other events in the rural calendar so we are looking forward to Agriscot on 9 February along with the Royal Highland Show which makes a very welcome return on 23 – 26 June (you can see a round-up of county shows in our previous mailing).

Unboxed - a celebration of creativity to which Scotland's contribution is Dandelion a ‘grow your own’ programme following the arc of the growing season, from April to September 2022, and culminating in hundreds of Harvest Festivals across Scotland.  Read more here.

OnFARM Academy - carefully designed and specifically rural, the OnFARM Academy (launching late January 2022) delivers short, online training courses which will help you to up-skill, boost your audience and widen interest in your brand.  Click here for an exclusive pre-launch offer.

Improved rail links - A new railway station at Reston in the Scottish Borders is due to open in the first half of the year and Dalcross station serving Inverness Airport is due to open in late 2022.  

COP26 commitments - New regulations on single-use plastics come into force in Scotland on 1 June 2022.  Read more here.

We'd LOVE to know what you are looking forward to in 2022.  Please reply to this email to tell us!

OnFARM Podcast

In a packed episode, Monty meets Cabinet Secretary Mairi Gougeon, Scottish Agritourism lead Caroline Millar and many others, at the launch of Scotland’s ambitious new agritourism growth strategy.

'Cooperation in Scottish apples, cheese, and flowers' is an episode in which Anna explores the benefits of collaboration in Scottish food and farming - meeting representatives from cheese producers, flower growers, and apple growers, who have all formed collaborative groups, with the help of Scottish farming's co-op umbrella organisation SAOS.

In an episode made in partnership with SOPA (Scottish Organic Producers Association), Anna visited Angus Elder, a third-generation organic veg and cereals farmer at Chapel Organics in East Lothian for a tour and a chat, to learn about his farm enterprise growing crops and produce, primarily for organic veg box schemes.

You can catch up on all OnFARM episodes here: podfollow.com/onfarm

January dates for your social promotions:

1 -  New Year's Day – a day for sharing #NewYearsResolutions and #LoonyDooks!

9 -  Plough Sunday – Fill Instagram with pictures of decorated ploughs, film tractors being blessed for TikTok or make a blog post of Plough Sundays of yesteryear!

9 – 11 -  Semex International Dairy Conference 2022, Glasgow

25 -  The biggest date in the January calendar! Whether virtually or in person, Scots all over the world will be tucking into haggis, neeps and tatties to celebrate Burns' Night.

The British Cattle Conference also takes place (virtually) on the 25th with 2022's theme of 'A Breath of Fresh Air' reflecting the club's aspiration to focus on positivity, resilience and opportunity. Join in the chat using #cattlebreeders2022

26 -  Scotland Hour takes place on Twitter between 9 p.m. - 10 p.m. on Twitter on the last Wednesday of the month with a different tourism theme. January's theme is Scotland's Year of Stories and you can see the questions at the website http://www.scotlandhour.com/.

27 - SAOS conference 2022, Dunblane – More info/booking: https://saos.coop/events-and-training/saos-conference-2022

The Scene & Herd team will have their Out of Office messages on from 23rd December to 6th January (although we will check out emails periodically).  Our Monday emails will return on 10th January.  

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  

From all the team at Scene & Herd.

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