Good land drainage can improve crop yields and animal health while minimising soil damage, but the wet summer has increased flooding problems, often exacerbated by old or broken drains.

Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) Consulting will explore practical solutions to the issue at a specialist event in Dumfries and Galloway on November 29.

The event is taking place at Torr Farm, Auchencairn, with kind permission of owners Ross and Lee Paton.

Senior SAC consultant Seamus Donnelly will cover topics including why, where and when land drainage should be carried out, drainage maintenance and planning, and the costs involved.

Land drainage expert Mr Donnelly said: "With increasing costs, managing the land to its maximum productivity is essential. Good drainage is vital.

"Drainage problems and associated soil compaction and poaching have become increasingly more evident.

"In most cases they have arisen because old land drains are broken, or they are not working properly.

"I'll be advising on solutions to remediate flooded land and participants will also have the chance to speak with other farmers about the issue."

The event is free, but, for catering purposes, please contact Sandra MacRae on 01387 261172 or sandra.macraé@sac.ac.uk if you plan to attend.

SCOTLAND is sacrificing an estimated £1 billion of potential annual income from renewable energy by allowing multinational energy companies to cream off the profits from wind energy, Aberdeenshire farmer and businessman Maitland Mackie has claimed.

In an open letter to Fergus Ewing, Scotland's Minister for Energy and Tourism, Dr Mackie urges the Scottish Government to do more to keep the profits in Scotland by easing planning regulations which, he says, act as a disincentive to farmers and landowners to invest in wind energy themselves.

He argues that by renting out sites for turbines to developers for "peanuts" rather than investing in wind energy themselves, farmers, landowners and local communities are missing out on huge potential profits.

UNITED Auctions sold 239 store cattle at Stirling on Wednesday to a top of 237p per kg and an average of 192.3p (+1.2p on the week), while 146 store heifers peaked at 206.5p and levelled at 181.2p (-3.2p).

In the rough ring, 238 cast cows averaged 116.4p.

Craig Wilson sold 84 store heifers at Ayr yesterday to a top of 209.5p and an average of 184p.

Meanwhile, 79 store, beef-bred bullocks peaked at 234.8p and levelled at 194.2p.

Twenty-three store B&W bullocks averaged 145.3p.