Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) has formed a partnership with national agricultural consultancy ADAS.
The two organisations say they will pool their research and offer a “truly national agricultural and rural knowledge service” for farmers, growers and all agricultural businesses.
They say the joint venture will be a vehicle for more collaborative research, as well as giving new and existing partners access to both organisations’ specialist consultancy and diagnostic services, education and training courses.
The joint venture will operate in various areas including agriculture and climate change; soil health; ecological modelling and genomics; sustainable diets and food production systems; animal welfare; and sustainable food supply.
“The combined expertise of both ADAS and SRUC creates an extraordinary wealth of knowledge that will be of vital importance to the future of our food and farming industry,” said SRUC director of commercialisation, Colin MacEwan.
“We are excited about the opportunity that this new and dynamic partnership will bring to support future farming and food systems.”
He said a priority of the new partnership will be to launch a new digital platform to provide a shop window to an independent source of knowledge, expertise, tools and services for the rural and food sectors.
This is set to launch in spring this year.
ADAS agriculture and land management managing director Jackie Evans welcomed the partnership and said: “The venture will combine and enhance the strengths of both organisations, for the benefit of rural businesses.
“Both offer end-to-end services, with a wide array of industry-relevant skills and expertise, so this will be a comprehensive offering.
“We are excited to see where the venture takes us and welcome relevant inquiries from the rural and agricultural sectors.”