Farmers and crofters in the north and north-east are among a group of nine new farming industry ambassadors.
The producers have won a place on Soil Association Scotland’s Farmer Ambassador programme, which aims to help farmers showcase the benefits of nature – and climate-friendly farming – to members of the public, policy makers and other farmers.
They will be given training on how to use video to tell their story.
“Scotland’s farmers and crofters are a vital part of the solution to the challenges of climate change, nature loss and ill-health we all face,” said Soil Association Scotland director, Aiofe Behan.
“By producing food in ways that nurture people, the environment and the rural economy, they meet those challenges head-on. We want to give those farmers the tools to show people how they do it.”
The ambassadors include Gillian Vollum who farms with her husband and two young sons at Balliemore Farm on the Isle of Kerrera, near Oban.
She said farmers need to get better at promoting themselves and their products, adding: “We have to educate people about how we get our food to their table, how we look after our animals, how we try and plant as many trees and wild flowers as we can, all while trying to stay financially solvent-ish, raise our families and hopefully leave the farms and land in some sort of good order for the next generation. It’s a pretty big juggling act.”
Others include Louise Munro, from Mosshead Farm, Peterhead; Helen O’Keefe from Middleton Croft, Elphin, Sutherland; and Nikki Yoxall from Howiemill, Huntly.