Scotland’s Rural Affairs Secretary has addressed farmers in Edinburgh at the Royal Highland Show (RHS) to outline the future agricultural support for farmers in Scotland.

In 2025, new conditions for farming support payments will be introduced in Scotland, with the aim to help more of Scotland’s farmers and crofters cut emissions and help tackle climate change.

Speaking ahead of her address to farmers and crofters at the RHS, Mairi Gougeon, Rural Affairs Secretary said that she is “determined” to ensure that high-quality food production is maintained as the climate emergency is tackled.

She said: “Unlike in England, there will be no cliff edges in support – I am committed to maintaining direct payments and supporting our nation’s producers through a just transition.”

Support criteria

The criteria for the new conditions will support farmers and crofters to meet more of the population’s food needs sustainably, and farm and croft while working to protect nature.

When the new legislation is brought in farmers and crofters will be required to adopt the following practices to qualify for the payment:

  • A ‘Whole Farm Plan’ which will include soil testing, animal health and welfare declaration, carbon audits, biodiversity audits and supported business planning;
  • Protections for peatlands and wetlands to help farmers restore these vital habitats to sequester more carbon;
  • Meet new conditions to the Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme to help cut emissions intensity and make beef production more efficient.

Gougeon said that the updated version that was published today (Thursday, June 22) contains much more information on what will change from 2025. 

She added: “It makes clear that our transition will be a just one – some things won’t change before a new framework for support is implemented beyond 2026.

“These changes will only work if as many farmers and crofters as possible take part. So alongside the route map, from today we are embarking on an engagement programme for change.”

NFU Scotland

Following the announcement today, Martin Kennedy, president for National Farmers Union (NFU) Scotland said: “We welcome the commitment laid out in the Agricultural Route Map to retain Voluntary Coupled Support untill at least 2026 and the announcement by the Cabinet Secretary today.

“This gives the industry some highly anticipated clarity on the direction of travel.

“However, all farmers and crofters remain keen to understand the finer detail of how this conditionality will work in practice. 

Kennedy said that coupled support is “crucial” to the beef sector. He said it contributes an estimated £849 million to Scottish agriculture’s output and will be a “central plank” for the new strategy for Scotland’s Food and Drink being launched tomorrow (Friday, June 23).

He added: “Conditionality measures for future support, such as calving intervals, have been discussed by the industry for some time as a way of improving production-based efficiency and the recommendations of the Farmer-led Group into suckler beef clearly identified the benefits of improving herd management, becoming more efficient and reducing emissions as meriting support.”

ROYAL HIGHLAND SHOW SCOTLAND