Steven is a Professor in Agricultural Economics and Policy with 30 years of applied agricultural policy analysis and rural development research.  Steven is heavily involved in supporting the Scottish Government design future fit agricultural policy and build on the principles of conditional direct support. 

His analysis, concept insights, and advice supports Scottish Government policy officials and the Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board through the Scottish Government’s Academic Advisory Panel.  Steven leads a consortium of experts delivering policy support to the Scottish Government through commissioned research, and through an ADAS consortium, he is also engaged in research to support the Welsh Government’s design of their Sustainable Farming Scheme.

Moreover, Steven liaises with a wide range of stakeholders (including Scotland’s Farm Advisory Service), consultants, farmers, crofters and land managers on a wide range of agricultural, land use, land reform and communities policy issues through his SEFARI Gateway knowledge broker role.   

Steven is currently the lead for the Rural Futures theme within the Scottish Government’s Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture - Strategic Research Programme 2022-2027 where he leads research on Rural Economies within SRUC and contributes to additional projects on: Land Reform; Improving Agricultural Practice; and socio-economic and greenhouse gas impacts from Land Use. 

Steven has an interest in adding value to data and his toolbox includes novel use of administrative data to provide insights arising from agricultural and rural policy, system changes, technical performance in cattle (dairy and beef system).  Using insights developed through analysis of official registration and movement data in cattle he is currently supporting the Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme Reform Stakeholder Group.

Ongoing

• Scottish Government Strategic Research Programme 2022-2027
  • RESAS 22-27: SRUC-e1-1 Novel Insights on Scotland's Rural and Island Economies (NISRIE)  (2022 – present; Principle Investigator; c.£320k p.a.)
  • RESAS 22-27: SRUC-b3-1 Ensuring Positive Behavioural Change for Farmers Towards Best Practice for Clean Growth: Economic and Behavioural Investigations. (2022- present; contributor; c.£335k p.a.)
  • RESAS 22-27: SRUC-c3-2 Modelling the Socio-economic, Greenhouse Gas and Natural Capital Impacts of Land Use Policy and Opportunities?. (2022- present; contributor; c. 193k p.a.)
  • RESAS 22-27: SRUC-e3-1 Impacts of Land-based Financial Support Mechanisms on Land Values, Landownership Diversification and Land Use Outcomes (2022- present; contributor; c. £80kp.a.)
• Provision of Economic Advice and Related Services to Support Development of a New Rural Support Scheme for Scotland (Commissioned Research for RESAS, (2021 – present, c.£100k). Range of analytical and research reports on a variety of topics:
• ‘Economic analysis of the impact of the Welsh Government’s proposed Sustainable Farming Scheme – Phases 3-5 (Welsh Government - ongoing, value to SRUC, c.£26k)

Previous

• ‘Economic analysis of the impact of the Welsh Government’s proposed Sustainable Farming Scheme – Phase 2 (Welsh Government - ongoing, value to SRUC, c.£38k)
• Work Package 2.4 Rural Industries co-ordinator and Research Deliverable 2.4.2 How Rural Economies can Adapt to Key External Drivers co-ordinator: The Scottish Government's Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division Research Programme 2016-2021.  (RESAS, value to SRUC c.£350k p.a.) 
• Scottish Environment, Food & Agricultural Research Institutes (SEFARI) Knowledge Exchange Lead for Communities. The Scottish Government's Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services Division (RESAS) Research Programme 2016-2021. (RESAS, value to SRUC c.£35k p.a.)
• Economic analysis of the impact of the Welsh Government’s proposed Sustainable Farming Scheme – Phase 1 (Welsh Government 2021/2022 – led by ADAS & value to SRUC c.£38k)
• Livestock's role in food system resilience in remote, upland regions Global Food Security’s ‘Resilience of the UK Food System Programme’, with support from BBSRC, ESRC, NERC and Scottish Government, 2018-22, £375k).
• Development of a specification for prototype data dashboards based on the statutory cattle data held by Livestock Information Ltd. (AHDB - 2021-22, £48k)
• The Transition to Future (Conditional) Agricultural Support – NFU Scotland’s Approach (NFUS 2021, £2k)
• A series of research and advisory notes commissioned by the Scottish Government in support of the Suckler Beef Climate Group. (RESAS, 2020-2021, £100k)
  • Estimation of sectoral CAP payment 'envelopes' 2019  (2021)
  • Structure and Efficiency of the Scottish Beef Herd - Cattle Tracing System Insights (2020) 
  • Structure and Support of the Scottish Beef Sector 2019 – impact of CAP 2015 reforms (2020)
  • Environmental Conditionality on Direct Payments to Land Managers (2020) 
  • Estimated Suckler Beef Climate Scheme effect within the National GHG ‘Smart’ Inventory (2020) 
  • Estimated Suckler Beef Climate Scheme implications for cattle numbers (2020)
  • Suckler Beef Climate Change Group Farm Carbon Case Studies (2020) 
  • Suckler Beef Climate Change: Advisory support and accreditation (2020) 
  • Suckler Beef Climate Scheme: Draft metrics (2020)
  • Suckler Beef Climate Scheme: Broader Issues (2020) 
  • Implementation issues for the Suckler Beef Climate Group Scheme (2020) 
• The socioeconomic and biodiversity impacts of driven grouse moors and the employment rights of gamekeepers. (The Scottish Government: 2019-2020, £85k)
• An Assessment of the Opportunities to Retain and Increase Sheep and Lamb Processing in Scotland. (Scottish Government, 2019, £35k)
• Post Brexit Implications for Agriculture and Associated Land Use in the Highlands and Islands. (Highlands and Islands Agricultural Support Group, 2018, £7k)  
• Brexit - Enhanced policy advice (Scottish Government, 2018/19 £128k)
• Brexit - Rural supply chains (Scottish Government, 2018/19 £80k)
• Farm Workers in Scottish Agriculture: Case Studies in the International Seasonal Migrant Labour Market. (Scottish Government, 2017-18, £69k)
• Meeting the Challenge of Wild Deer Research to Support Delivery of Sustainable Deer Management in Scotland. (Scottish Government RESAS and SNH, 2016-17, £70k)
• Rural Scotland in Focus 2016. (SRUC, 2016, £60K)
• The impact of diversity of ownership scale on social, economic and environmental outcomes: (Scottish Government RESAS, 2015-16, £60k)
• Assessing the Contribution of the Dairy Sector to Economic Growth and Food Security in Malawi. (DFID/ESRC 2012-2015, £428k)
• Agricultural Holdings Evidence Review  (Scottish Government RESAS 2014, £30k)
• Secretariat and consultant to Brian Pack’s Regulatory Review of Scottish Agriculture. (Scottish Government RESAS, 2012-14, £75k)