News

Good housing key to thriving rural communities, SLE says

Press Release

Rural business organisation Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) says good quality housing in rural Scotland is essential economic infrastructure. The theme of this year’s Scottish Housing Day on 16 September, organised by the Chartered Institute of Housing, the Scottish government and partners, is ‘healthy homes, healthy futures’. SLE believes...

Rural Crime Action Week highlights human and financial toll

Press Release

Rural crime continues to impose significant financial and emotional pressures on Scotland’s farmers and land managers, Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) has warned. Ahead of National Rural Crime Action Week, which runs from 6 to 11 September, the rural business organisation said crimes including machinery and fuel theft, fly-tipping and...

SLE strongly welcomes dedicated helicopter support for wildfire response

Press Release

Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) has firmly welcomed the announcement that the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service will be able to place helicopters on standby and mobilise them immediately when Scotland’s wildfire risk is assessed as high, very high or extreme risk. The announcement was made by the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for...

Scottish Land & Estates supports police appeal following poisoning of bird of prey in Aberdeenshire

Press Release

Scottish Land & Estates has today backed a Police Scotland appeal for information after a red kites was confirmed to have been poisoned in Aberdeenshire. On 30 June, 2026, a member of the public was walking at Morven Hill, near the village of Dinnet, when they found a dead red kite. Following enquiries, it was established that the red...

Rural businesses ready to help drive Scotland’s economic growth

Press Release

Rural businesses are ready, willing, and able to support the Scottish Government’s ambition to grow Scotland’s economy during the new parliamentary term, Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) has said. The rural business organisation was responding to the Programme for Government, outlined by First Minister John Swinney today. The First Minister...

New report reveals scale of Glenmore-Strathnethy wildfire response

Press Release

Scotland’s wildfire response cannot run on goodwill alone, rural businesses warn A new report has found more than 3,300 hectares were burned in the Glenmore-Strathnethy wildfire – with more than 40 businesses and organisations and £6.4 million of private-sector equipment involved in the response efforts. Published by Scottish Land &...

SLE warns General Licence changes risk adding unnecessary burden for rural businesses

Press Release

Rural business organisation Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) is calling for a consistent and proportionate approach to the review of the general licensing scheme in Scotland to protect food production, public safety and the conservation of vulnerable species. NatureScot is consulting on changes to General Licences, which are granted to...

SLE endorses call for clearer national approach to wildfire safety

Press Release

Scottish Land & Estates (SLE), the rural business organisation, has strongly backed calls from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) for greater action to improve wildfire prevention and preparedness across Scotland. In an open letter published following the Glenmore–Strathnethy wildfire , SFRS Chief Officer Stuart Stevens said...

Swift action welcomed following isolated BSE case

Press Release

Scottish Land & Estates, the rural business organisation, has welcomed the swift response to an isolated case of classical Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) confirmed on a farm in Dumfries and Galloway. Eleanor Kay, Senior Policy Adviser (Agriculture and Climate Change) at Scottish Land & Estates, said: “The confirmation of a case of...

SLE expands policy team with two new appointments

Press Release

Rural business organisation Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) has strengthened its policy team with two new appointments. Sarah Madden is welcomed back to the organisation as a policy adviser (rural communities) having previously held a similar role with SLE from 2022 to 2024, while Charlotte McAulay joins as a policy assistant. Stephen Young...