Land Use and Rural Policy: Subject Profile

Author: Anna Brand

PDF Published: Thursday 19 Aug 2021 (SB 21-49)

Expand
Overview
Report

Hide

Hide

Overview
Report
- Key points
- In figures
- Rural affairs
- Strategic Land Use
  - Fourth National Planning Framework
- Major land uses in Scotland
  - Agriculture
    
    What does the sector look like?
    
    Agricultural tenancies
    
    Tenancies and the 2016 Land Reform Act
    
    Crofting
    
    National Development Plan for Crofting
    
    Agriculture policy
    
    Agriculture policy before Brexit
    
    Agriculture policy after Brexit: A new policy for Scotland
    
    The UK internal market and the EU
    
    The UK internal market
    
    Common frameworks
    
    EU-UK relations
    
    Trade and agriculture
  - Forestry
    
    What does Scottish forestry look like?
    
    Forest policy and governance
    
    Forestry grants
    
    Industry standards
    
    Timber production
    
    Forestry and the environment
    
    Forests and people
  - Hunting and wildlife management
    
    Deer management
    
    Grouse
    
    Hunting with dogs
  - Nature-based Solutions
- Food policy
- Land use and the climate and nature crises
  - Key evidence and sources
    
    International assessments
    
    UK and Scottish reports
- Rural affairs research
- Cover Image credit
Sources

There are around 51,000 farms in Scotland, of which 21,000 are crofts. Forage makes up the largest group with 20,900 holdings, followed by beef and sheep at 17,800, mixed farming at 4,400, cereals at 2,300, pigs and poultry at 1,100, and horticulture and dairy at 700 holdings respectively. Rural Scotland is 98% of the land mass, with accessible rural making up 70% and remote rural 17%. 39% of working occupiers are female, and approximately 10% of farmers are under 41. 80% of Scotland landscape is agricultural land; 44% of which is classed as high nature value farmland. Nature conservation sites cover 18% of Scotland's land area. 22% of Scotland's land is tenanted. 12.5% of Scotland is forested, and 1/3 of these forests are on farms. 74% of Scottish woodlands are made up of conifers, and there are plans to increase Scotland's forests to 21% by 2032. Agriculture accounts for 15.7% of Scotland's greenhouse gas emissions; land use, land use change and forestry accounts for 5.6%.

Image: Figure 1: Scottish land use in numbers

Employment in rural Scotland is diverse. In remote rural Scotland, the public sector is the largest employer at 17%, followed by accommodation and food services, agriculture forestry and fishing and financial and other services at 15% each. In accessible rural Scotland, the public sector and financial and other services are the largest employers at 17% each, followed by agriculture, forestry and fishing, and wholesale, retail and repair at 12% each.

Image: Figure 2: Employment in rural Scotland

Image of a stone house next to a road in rural Scotland.

Image: What does the sector look like?

Farm business incomes vary widely between sectors. For the average Scottish holding, and for all sectors aside from dairy, cereals and general cropping, farms and crofts make a loss without agricultural subsidies.

Image: Figure 3: Farm incomes with and without subsidies

Image of a croft house in front of a hill in rural Scotland.

Image: Figure 4: Types of support under the two ‘pillars’ of the EU Common Agricultural Policy in Scotland. The size of the circle is relative to the proportion of the budget allocated to that type of support.

Image of a woodland in the spring with a carpet of bluebells and daffodils.

Image: What does Scottish forestry look like?

Image: Forestry and the environment

Image of three red deer stags standing in a grassy field with Scottish hills in the background.

Image: Figure 5: Habitats that can provide nature-based solutions

Infographic showing key pressures on nature in Scotland. These are agricultural management, climate change, hydrological change, woodland management, pollution, invasive non-native species, urbanisation, upland management, marine climate change, fisheries.

Image: Figure 6: Key pressures on nature in Scotland

Scottish Government. (2019, June 11). Agriculture Facts and Figures 2019. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/agriculture-facts-figures-2019/ [accessed 18 May 2021]

Scottish Government. (2019, October 16). Seed potato Brexit concerns. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/news/seed-potato-brexit-concerns/ [accessed 1 June 2021]

Scottish Government. (2017, June 20). Agriculture Maps. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/agriculture-maps/ [accessed 19 May 2021]

Climate XChange. (2013). NA9 Proportion of farmland (Utilised Agricultural Area) under High Nature Value farming systems. Retrieved from https://www.climatexchange.org.uk/research/indicators-and-trends/indicators/na9-proportion-of-farmland-utilised-agricultural-area-under-high-nature-value-farming-systems/ [accessed 18 August 2021]

Scottish Government. (2019, July 5). Review of the environmental and socio-economic barriers and benefits to organic agriculture in Scotland. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/review-environmental-socio-economic-barriers-benefits-organic-agriculture-scotland/ [accessed 18 August 2021]

Scottish Organic Producers' Association. (2021). Organic Farming is about working with nature rather than against. Retrieved from http://www.sopa.org.uk/about_organics/organic_farming [accessed 18 August 2021]

Scottish Government. (2021). Food and Drink. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/policies/food-and-drink/ [accessed 19 May 2021]

Scottish Government. (2020, August 25). Scottish agriculture tables - economic report: 2020 edition. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/economic-report-on-scottish-agriculture-tables-2020-edition/ [accessed 18 May 2021]

Scottish Parliament. (2010, August 6). Crofting Reform (Scotland) Act 2010. Retrieved from https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2010/14/contents [accessed 15 April 2021]

Crofting Commission. (2020). 2019/20. Retrieved from https://www.crofting.scotland.gov.uk/userfiles/file/annual_report_and_accounts/LOW-RES-4398-CC-Annual-Report-2019-20-STATS.pdf [accessed 15 April 2021]

Crofting Commission. (2021). Crofting. Retrieved from https://www.crofting.scotland.gov.uk/crofting [accessed 15 April 2021]

Scottish Government. (2018, December 18). Economic conditions of crofting 2015-18: survey. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/survey-economic-conditions-crofting-2015-2018/ [accessed 13 May 2021]

Scottish Government . (2017, June 23). Women in farming and the agriculture sector: research report. Retrieved from Crofting appears to be somewhat more egalitarian than farming. During the interviews and focus groups with men and women on crofts, they suggested that crofting has always been more equal because the croft depended on offcroft work. Sometimes men would migrate for work for several months and during this time women were responsible for all the decision-making. Women on crofts were more likely to indicate a strong role in decision-making, with 81% indicating that they have a role in both major and day to day decisions. This stronger role of women in decision-making was characteristic of smaller farms in general (see table 4.2c [accessed 13 May 2021]

Scottish Government. (2018, April 12). Crofting update. Retrieved from https://blogs.gov.scot/rural-environment/2018/04/12/crofting-update/ [accessed 18 May 2021]

Scottish Parliament Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee. (2019, October 11). Letter from the Cabinet Secretary to the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee. Retrieved from https://archive2021.parliament.scot/S5_Rural/RECC_20191011_Cab_Sec_RE_-_Crofting_Bill.pdf [accessed 18 May 2021]

Scottish Government. (2021, March 18). A National Development Plan for Crofting. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/national-development-plan-crofting/ [accessed 18 May 2021]

The World Trade Organisation. (2021). Domestic support in agriculture: The boxes. Retrieved from https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/agric_e/agboxes_e.htm [accessed 2 June 2021]

European Commission. (2021). Cross-compliance. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/info/food-farming-fisheries/key-policies/common-agricultural-policy/income-support/cross-compliance_en [accessed 2 June 2021]

Scottish Government. (2018, June 20). Stability and simplicity: proposals for a rural funding transition period. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/stability-simplicity-proposals-rural-funding-transition-period/ [accessed 1 June 2021]

Scottish Land & Estates. (2019, September). #Route2050. Retrieved from https://www.scottishlandandestates.co.uk/route2050 [accessed 1 June 2021]

National Farmers Union for Scotland. (2018, March). STEPS TO CHANGE: A New Agricultural Policy For Scotland. Retrieved from https://www.nfus.org.uk/userfiles/images/Policy/Brexit/STEPS%20FOR%20CHANGE%20March%202018%20-%20for%20email.pdf [accessed 1 June 2021]

Scottish Crofting Federation . (2021, March 18). Proposals for parties’ manifestos: What SCF wants to see in manifestos for the 2021 election. Retrieved from https://www.crofting.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Proposals-for-parties-manifestos.pdf [accessed 1 June 2021]

Scottish Environment LINK. (2020, August). ‘Renewing Scotland’s Rural Areas’ Revisited How to transition from the CAP to a new regime of rural support. Retrieved from https://www.scotlink.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Renewing-Scotlands-Rural-Areas-revisited.pdf [accessed 1 June 2021]

UK Committee on Climate Change. (2020, October 7). Reducing emissions in Scotland – 2020 Progress Report to Parliament. Retrieved from https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/reducing-emissions-in-scotland-2020-progress-report-to-parliament/ [accessed 20 May 2021]

Scottish Parliament. (2019, November 20). Official Report: 20 November 2019. Retrieved from http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=12386 [accessed 2 June 2021]

UK Government. (2020). United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 Explanatory Notes. Retrieved from https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2020/27/notes/division/3/index.htm [accessed 14 August 2021]

Scottish Government. (2021, March 8). After Brexit: The UK Internal Market Act and devolution. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/brexit-uk-internal-market-act-devolution/documents/ [accessed 14 August 2021]

Scottish Parliament Finance and Constitution Committee. (2020, September 2). Official Report: Finance and Constitution Committee. Retrieved from http://archive2021.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=12797 [accessed 2 September 2021]

European Commission. (2021). Questions and Answers: Study on New Genomic Techniques. Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/food/plants/genetically-modified-organisms/new-techniques-biotechnology/ec-study-new-genomic-1_en [accessed 17 August 2021]

Scottish Parliament. (2021, January 21). Official Report: Meeting of the Parliament 21 January 2021. Retrieved from http://archive2021.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=13068 [accessed 14 August 2021]

UK Government. (2021, June 30). Government response to the consultation on subsidy control. Retrieved from https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/998078/subsidy-control-government-response.pdf [accessed 14 August 2021]

Joint Ministerial Committee (EU Negotiations). (2017, October 16). JOINT MINISTERIAL COMMITTEE (EU NEGOTIATIONS) COMMUNIQUE 16 October 2017. Retrieved from https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/652285/Joint_Ministerial_Committee_communique.pdf [accessed 2 June 2021]

National Farmers Union Scotland. (2021, July 6). NFU Scotland Welcomes Defra Decision to Halt EU Seed Potato Imports. Retrieved from https://www.nfus.org.uk/news/news/nfu-scotland-welcomes-defra-decision-to-halt-eu-seed-potato-imports [accessed 17 August 2021]

Scottish Government . (2020). Continuity Bill: Equality Impact Assessment. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/continuity-bill-equality-impact-assessment/

Scottish Government. (2020, January 29). Export statistics Scotland: 2018. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/export-stats-scotland-2018/ [accessed 2 June 2021]

Quality Meat Scotland. (2020). The Scottish Red Meat Industry Profile . Retrieved from https://www.qmscotland.co.uk/sites/default/files/qms5274_rmip_report_2020_a4_40pp_web1.pdf [accessed 2 June 2021]

Scottish Government. (2021, January 26). Trade: our vision. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-government-vision-trade/ [accessed 2 June 2021]

Office for National Statistics. (2021, May 12). UK trade: March 2021. Retrieved from https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/nationalaccounts/balanceofpayments/bulletins/uktrade/march2021 [accessed 3 June 2021]

Scottish Government. (2020, December 18). Brexit - agricultural sectors: analysis of impacts. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/analysis-brexit-scenario-impacts-scottish-agricultural-sectors/ [accessed 3 June 2021]

Scottish Parliament . (2019, September 18). Official Report: Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee 18 September 2019. Retrieved from http://archive2021.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=12265 [accessed 3 June 2021]

Scotland Food and Drink. (2018, October 20). Ambition 2030: Industry Strategy for Growth. Retrieved from https://scotlandfoodanddrink.blob.core.windows.net//media/1465/ambition-2030.pdf [accessed 3 June 2021]

Future British Standards Coalition . (2020, November 27). Safeguarding standards. Retrieved from https://www.sustainweb.org/resources/files/reports/Future%20British%20Standards%20Coalition%20-%20Safeguarding%20Standards.pdf [accessed 3 June 2021]

Scotland's Forestry Strategy 2019–2029. (n.d.) Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/scotlands-forestry-strategy-20192029/pages/4/ [accessed 14 August 2021]

Forest Research. (2020, September 24). Forestry Statistics 2020. Retrieved from https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/documents/7806/CompleteFS2020.pdf [accessed 20 May 2021]

Scottish Government. (2020, December 16). Securing a green recovery on a path to net zero: climate change plan 2018–2032 - update. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/securing-green-recovery-path-net-zero-update-climate-change-plan-20182032/ [accessed 20 May 2021]

Scotlands Environment Web. (2019, March 6). Woodland and forests. Retrieved from https://www.environment.gov.scot/our-environment/habitats-and-species/woodland-and-forests/ [accessed 17 August 2021]

NatureScot. (2021). A guide to understanding the Scottish Ancient Woodland Inventory (AWI). Retrieved from https://www.nature.scot/guide-understanding-scottish-ancient-woodland-inventory-awi [accessed 15 August 2021]

Confor. (2021). Commercial forestry taxation. Retrieved from https://www.confor.org.uk/resources/publications/commercial-forestry-taxation/ [accessed 15 August 2021]

Woodland Carbon Code. (2021). The Basics. Retrieved from https://woodlandcarboncode.org.uk/about/the-basics [accessed 15 August 2021]

Friggens, N.L., Hester, A.J., Mitchell , R.J., Parker , T.C., Subke, J.A., & Wookey, P.A. (2020). Tree planting in organic soils does not result in net carbon sequestration on decadal timescales. Global Change Biology, 26(9), 5178-5188. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15229

Forest Research. (2016, March). The influence of climate change on forest insect pests in Britain. Retrieved from https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/documents/6975/FCRN021.pdf [accessed 15 2021]

Community Woodlands Association. (2021). Community Woodlands Association. Retrieved from https://www.communitywoods.org/ [accessed 15 August 2021]

Deer Working Group. (2020, February 5). The management of wild deer in Scotland: Deer Working Group report. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/management-wild-deer-scotland/ [accessed 15 August 2021]

Grouse Moor Management Group . (2019, December 19). Grouse Moor Management Group: report. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/publications/grouse-moor-management-group-report-scottish-government/ [accessed 15 August 2021]

Stafford, R., Chamberlain, B., Clavey, L., Gillingham, P., McKain, S., Morecroft, M., … Watts, O. (2021). NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE UK. Retrieved from https://www.britishecologicalsociety.org//wp-content/uploads/2021/05/NbS-Report-Final-Designed.pdf [accessed 15 August 2021]

Walton, P., Eaton, M., Stanbury, A., Hayhow, D., Brand, A., Brooks, S., … Wormald, K. (2019). The State of Nature Scotland 2019. The State of Nature partnership.

IPBES. (2021). Models of drivers of biodiversity and ecosystem change. Retrieved from https://ipbes.net/models-drivers-biodiversity-ecosystem-change#:~:text=Examples%20of%20direct%20drivers%20of,and%20exploitation%2C%20and%20invasive%20species. [accessed 20 May 2021]

IPCC. (2014). : Drivers, Trends and Mitigation. In: Climate Change 2014: Mitigation of Climate Change. Contribution of Working Group III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Retrieved from https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/2018/02/ipcc_wg3_ar5_chapter5.pdf [accessed 20 May 2021]

Scottish Government. (2020). Scottish Biodiversity Strategy Post-2020: A Statement of Intent. Retrieved from https://www.gov.scot/binaries/content/documents/govscot/publications/strategy-plan/2020/12/scottish-biodiversity-strategy-post-2020-statement-intent2/documents/scottish-biodiversity-strategy-post-2020-statement-intent/scottish-biodiversity-strategy-post-2020-statement-intent/govscot%3Adocument/scottish-biodiversity-strategy-post-2020-statement-intent.pdf [accessed 15 August 2021]

IPBES. (2019). The global assessment report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services: Summary for Policymakers. Retrieved from https://ipbes.net/sites/default/files/2020-02/ipbes_global_assessment_report_summary_for_policymakers_en.pdf [accessed 20 May 2021]

IPBES. (2019, May 7). Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Media Release . Retrieved from https://ipbes.net/news/Media-Release-Global-Assessment [accessed 20 May 2021]

IPCC. (2020, January). Special Report on Climate Change and Land: Summary for Policymakers. Retrieved from https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/sites/4/2020/02/SPM_Updated-Jan20.pdf [accessed 20 May 2021]

Ecosulis and Farmlytics. (2019, February 25). The Economic Impact of Extreme Weather on Scottish Agriculture. Retrieved from wwf.org.uk/sites/default/files/2021-04/Impact%20of%20extreme%20weather%20on%20Scottish%20Farmers%202018%20FINAL.pdf [accessed 20 May 2021]

UK Committee on Climate Change. (2020, January 23). Land use: Policies for a Net Zero UK. Retrieved from https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/land-use-policies-for-a-net-zero-uk/ [accessed 20 May 2021]

Last Updated: 3/1 2:25am

Image: Figure 1: Scottish land use in numbers

Image: Figure 2: Employment in rural Scotland

Image: Rural affairs

Image: What does the sector look like?

Image: Figure 3: Farm incomes with and without subsidies

Image: Crofting

Image: Figure 4: Types of support under the two ‘pillars’ of the EU Common Agricultural Policy in Scotland. The size of the circle is relative to the proportion of the budget allocated to that type of support.

Image: What does Scottish forestry look like?

Image: Timber production

Image: Forestry and the environment

Image: Deer management

Image: Grouse

Image: Figure 5: Habitats that can provide nature-based solutions

Image: Figure 6: Key pressures on nature in Scotland

An error occured while loading, please try again in a few minutes.