The Land Reform Bill continues to progress at a rate of knots, with the NFUS team monitoring Stage 3 as we speak. Land reform is the number one priority for the Legal and Technical Committee, affects all NFU Scotland members and can pull agriculture into a debate which is much politicised. Who should own land in Scotland, how should it be managed, and how are the benefits shared are key areas of debate. With our unique range of ownership and tenure interests, we remain at the forefront of discussions.

Whilst Part 1 of the Bill focuses on issues around land ownership and stewardship of land, the second part is focused on tenancies. NFUS has a long-standing commitment to supporting both tenants and landlords in a thriving, balanced tenanted sector. Many of the tenancy issues in the debate have seen great consensus, due in no small part to the effective working of the Tenant Farming Advisory Forum, which is ably chaired by the Tenant Farming Commissioner. The Commissioner role, a proposal which originated from NFUS to add stability and confidence to the sector, has been a great success in recent times.  Whilst it can be difficult to balance interest types, where partner organisations enter discussions with openness and good intent, it has been possible to reach much consensus.

There has been much discussion on how to balance the interests of parties where a small area is taken out of a tenancy. The TFAF has spent a lot of time discussing how to achieve this, to address an issue for the current sector whilst not impacting the confidence of the future sector to negotiate or provide opportunity. We know that availability of let land is a vital foothold for the next generation of farmers, as well as helping existing businesses. In comparison to those representing a single interest, NFUS is uniquely placed to offer a broad perspective with the future in mind.

The recent joint letter to the Cabinet Secretary was focused on specific technical improvements to resumption, which we believe can deliver better outcomes for all. We understand that views differ, and we welcome robust discussion on such an important debate. Our intent is always to constructively influence legislation in a way that ensures fairness, clarity and confidence across the sector. Where organisations enter negotiations in the spirit of openness and transparency, we remain open to all dialogue.

Focusing on shared goals is the best way to ensure a sustainable future for Scottish agriculture and we look forward to engaging with MSPs, stakeholders and our members as the Land Reform Bill continues through Parliament. Our door remains open to ideas, debate, and collaboration that strengthen the tenanted sector for generations to come.