News
Swinney gives ‘cast-iron’ guarantee to return £46 million to farmers
The First Minister has given farmers a “cast-iron” guarantee to return £46m taken from the agriculture budget to combat the cost-of-living crisis.
The cash was taken in 2022 and 2023 as the country grappled with soaring costs and energy bills.
Source: Business Insider
Midlothian Strategy for Inclusive Economic Growth 2025-2030 approved
Councillors have approved the Midlothian Strategy for Inclusive Economic Growth 2025-2030, a comprehensive plan aimed at fostering a wellbeing economy that supports local residents, communities and businesses.
W2W aims to increase Scottish female angel investor numbers
Scotland’s first all-female business angel syndicate, Investing Women Angels (IWA), and its sister organisation AccelerateHER have launched a new initiative designed to attract more businesswomen into angel investing – an imperative in addressing the equity gap between male and female-led companies.
Exciting development in Equine Grass Sickness case reporting
Equine grass sickness (EGS) is a devastating and complex disease of equines, which unfortunately can occur anywhere in the UK, where sadly 80% of animals suffering from it will die. In a new approach for answers, the Equine Grass Sickness Fund (EGSF) and Moredun Research Institute (MRI) launched a new project three years ago.
Second round of bio-based manufacturing fund opens
Businesses in Scotland’s bio-based manufacturing industry have been invited to apply for support packages of between £25,000 and £1m, as Innovate UK opens the second round of its Launchpad funding programme. A total of up to £5.25m is being channelled into the Launchpad for Scotland in this round, with grant funding available for projects from micro to small or medium-sized enterprises, or consortia.
Source: Business Insider
Hutton hunts for soil ambassadors across Scotland to help dig deep
Scientists at The James Hutton Institute are leading a nationwide soil sampling campaign to help major European project, ECHO, to collect a total of 16,500 samples across Europe.
This call to participate in a citizen science project may be of interest to individuals in Midlothian Science Zone.
If you’d like to become involved as a soil ambassador, find out how you can participate here > https://echosoil.eu/become-an-echo-ambassador
Source: The James Hutton Institute
Insights into bone health to aid poultry welfare
Fresh insight into bone health in egg-laying chickens could support their health and welfare, by offering a simple way to assess risk and damage to their vulnerable breastbones, also known as sternum or keel bone.
£4.5 million Edinburgh skills project will boost life sciences sector and NHS
Edinburgh is to become a base for a multi-million-pound project to help address an “acute” skills shortage in the life sciences sector.
The new initiative, known as Resilience, aims to tackle the skills shortage faced by the medicines manufacturing industry in the UK, and the capital’s Heriot-Watt University will be one of the partners delivering the programme.
Source: The Scotsman
A step in the right direction for treatment of Cryptosporidiosis
A recent study conducted by scientists at the University of Dundee in collaboration with Moredun Scientific has revealed a potential breakthrough in the treatment of Cryptosporidiosis in calves. This parasitic infection, caused by Cryptosporidium parvum, is a significant concern for farmers, particularly as it leads to severe diarrhoea in young livestock and can result in substantial losses including reduced weight-gain.
Edinburgh Space Testing Facility relaunches after major investment
Following nine months of renovations and over £400,000 investment via the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC), the Higgs Centre for Innovation’s space testing facility at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh is reopening for business.