Scotland’s experts on farmer co-ops and food industry collaboration, we provide a range of specialist information and development services to help businesses work together more effectively. #workingtogether we grow
Now more than ever, it’s vital for farmers and food and drink businesses to work together more effectively - all of SAOS’s work centres on facilitating this.
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As a development organisation, owned by our members, we provide a range of specialist services not available elsewhere, to assist them in developing their people and their businesses. Get in touch to find out how we can help you.
Latest news, views and updates from us here at SAOS.
Over the many years since SAOS was established (in 1905) the business has developed and expanded to meet new challenges and needs in farming and food that we've identified. Today, we work together with co‑ops and businesses in a wide variety of ways, helping shape the future of farming and food.
People often ask what our name stands for (the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society) but we’re more concerned with what we actually stand for - getting people and businesses to work together more effectively, whatever that may look like.
Our team is the key to our success, but we’re also the key to yours. SAOS has never been an organisation to blow its own trumpet, but when it comes to the team we’re happy to.
Meet our team
Our council and board members come from our co‑op membership as well as a variety of different industries helping us shape SAOS to meet ever-developing needs in farming and food.
Find out more
As experts on co-operative strategies, structures and management, SAOS helps to increase the resilience, sustainability, productivity and profitability of Scottish agriculture, through farm co-operation and co‑ops.
More on Co-operation
We deliver growth and value in Scotland’s food and drink industry by developing more aligned, integrated and sustainable supply chains.
We work closely with the Scottish food industry and partners to promote and exploit local, UK and export market opportunities.
SAOS invests time and resources in researching and developing innovative solutions that work for farmer groups, co‑ops and supply chains.
We look around the world for best practice and bring together the skills and partnerships that deliver innovation.
SAOS delivers know-how and learning for all levels of co‑op directors and staff. This helps them understand the distinct features of co‑op businesses.
We share knowledge with the wider farming and food and drink communities on the benefits of working together more effectively to secure gains not available when acting independently.
In a joint Scottish Government/Industry Working Group, SAOS co-ordinates research and the development of data systems that record movements and tracing of livestock through supply chains.
ScotEID’s all-species data system and its Help Team provide a cost-effective, practical and efficient system which underpins food safety and disease control/response measures.
Through the SmartRural project, SAOS is developing a new type of digital infrastructure, that will enable the benefits of digital innovations, currently limited to cities, for a wide variety of needs in rural areas.
Funded by SAOS, SmartRural is developing ‘outside in’ rural digital connectivity which will enable the ‘Internet of Things’ (fitting objects such as a water trough, a shed, or an animal with sensors) to communicate simple data which can be used in a huge variety of ways.
We provide thought leadership on behalf of the industry to enable agriculture in Scotland to respond collectively and collaboratively to the challenges of climate change, capturing opportunities for growth, mitigation and adaptation across the sector.
More on Climate Change
As the challenges and opportunities have expanded, so has SAOS and our expertise. We have grown the team, and our knowledge, enabling us to explore new opportunities and challenges with new partners in exciting new fields.
We believe that working together more effectively offers countless opportunities to Scotland’s farming, food and drink businesses. SAOS remains committed to seeking out and maximising these.
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