Co-operation is key, as shown by SAOS growth

Scottish farmers are conti-nuing to increase their co- operative efforts, with the latest figures from SAOS, the umbrella body for Scottish agricultural co-ops, again showing increased trading.

SAOS has 75 member companies and the throughput value of the top 20 of those rose to 2.3 billion in the past year.

Scottish machinery rings increased their throughput to 56.5 million and their collective membership increased to 6,727, which equates to about half of active farm businesses in Scotland

Milk Link joined the umbrella body last year, meaning that the top three British co-ops - by scale of throughput - are all members of SAOS.