News

Seven Scottish landholdings gain prestigious wildlife conservation accreditation

Press Release

Seven Scottish farms and estates – accounting for nearly 170,000 acres - have been awarded prestigious international accreditation to recognise their ongoing work in wildlife management and conservation. The award of Wildlife Estates Scotland (WES) accreditation was made at the GWCT Scottish Game Fair, with Màiri McAllan MSP, Scottish...

Private rented sector reforms a ‘lose-lose’ for tenants and landlords

General News

Both tenants and landlords will lose out through the Scottish Government's ill-advised tenancy reforms, Scottish Land & Estates said today. Passed at Holyrood last night, part four of the Coronavirus (Recovery and Reform) (Scotland) Bill removes the mandatory grounds to remove a tenant and reclaim vacant possession, such as non-payment of...

Provision of rented homes could be decimated by Holyrood legislation

Press Release

Housing organisations have today made an 11th hour appeal to Scottish parliamentarians to step back from making new laws that threaten to devastate the number of homes for rent. The Scottish Parliament is to debate the final stage of the Coronavirus (Recovery and Reform) Bill on June 28 which includes plans to give tribunals the final say...

Food production, climate change and biodiversity ‘vital’ in Scotland’s future agricultural support regime

Press Release

Fifty per cent of future farming subsidies should be ‘unconditional’ in order to maintain food security and thriving production in Scotland. Scottish Land & Estates, the rural business organisation, today published an update to its #Route2050 ‘On Track for Rural Scotland’ strategy at the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh. The document...

Early payment of farm support welcomed

Press Release

Early payment of farm support has been welcomed by Scottish Land & Estates. The Scottish Government has announced that it was introducing a revised timetable for payments in response to the inflationary pressures being felt by food producers. Stephen Young, Head of Policy at Scottish Land & Estates, said: “Farming businesses have been...

Two new directors at Scottish Land & Estates

Press Release

Scottish Land & Estates has appointed two new members to its board of directors. Laura Warrender and Michael Dunglass have taken up the positions following the organisation’s Annual General Meeting, held virtually on 31 May. Laura is a partner of Minuntion in South Ayrshire, a hill farm and sporting estate which includes tourism and...

Muirburn vital to Scottish land management

Press Release

Scottish Land & Estates, the rural business organisation, has responded to the latest unverified claims regarding the use of muirburn by land managers. Tim Baynes, Moorland Director, Scottish Land & Estates, said: “The controlled burning of heather, or Muirburn, is a long-established land management tool that is supported by government...

Tough legislation long overdue to tackle flytipping scourge

Press Release

Tougher penalties for flytipping offenders and increased protection for victims contained in proposed legislation is welcome and long overdue, Scottish Land & Estates said today. The rural business organisation has submitted its consultation response for a proposed Member’s Bill in the Scottish Parliament brought forward by Scottish...

Scottish stakeholders call on Scottish Government to bring forward payment schedule to recognise cash flow concerns

Press Release

Key organisations committed to the viability of Scottish agriculture and all that it underpins have written to the Scottish Government to express concerns over the impact that the unprecedented cost inflation is having, calling on it to bring forward crucial support payments to ease growing cash flow concerns. The letter to Cabinet...

Houses let via tenanted farms 'require bespoke rural solutions'

Press Release

Regulating houses let as part of agricultural holdings through private rented sector legislation instead could lead to intractable problems for farming businesses, Scottish Land & Estates said today. The rural business organisation held its annual conference in Edinburgh today which a focus on rural Scotland’s housing stock. The Scottish...