News

This week the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee published its report on the Agriculture and Rural Communities Bill. The report echoed many of the proposals made by Scottish Environment LINK members and shared by other organisations.  

On 6 March, Scottish Environment LINK held a Holyrood Parliamentary Reception, bringing people together around the Farm for Scotland’s Future campaign. We started with two short videos from two very different farmers, both working with nature to the benefit of their businesses.

First Minister Humza Yousaf announced new details today of how farm funding will be distributed under the Scottish government’s new system, revealing an approach that campaigners say won’t do enough to help farmers and crofters to produce food sustainably.

Environmental campaigners gathered outside the Scottish parliament today to call on the Scottish government to fund farmers and crofters to produce food in ways that help restore nature and tackle climate change.

The Farm for Scotland’s Future campaign has said the £6.2 million, or 17%, cut to Scotland’s Agri-Environment Climate Scheme makes a mockery of the Scottish government’s ambition for Scotland to become a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture.

In evidence submitted to a Scottish Parliament committee, the coalition Scottish Environment LINK is calling on Ministers to be required to take independent advice before setting their five year rural support plan.

The Scottish Government must take a much more ambitious approach to reforming agriculture policy and funding if it is to meet its own climate and nature targets, campaigners have said.