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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.

Take action! Ask the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Mairi Gougeon, to ensure that at least three quarters of public spending on farming supports farmers and crofters to produce food in ways that restore nature and tackle climate change.

Euan Ross, Scotland manager for the Nature Friendly Farming Network, considers whether the Scottish Government’s draft Agriculture and Rural Communities Bill goes far enough in changing how farmers and crofters will receive support in Scotland.