Farmers hold their breath for today’s budget announcements, amid hopes for more funding from the Scottish Government.
With all funding for farming now at the discretion of the Scottish Government, farmers and environmentalists believe the country’s future is at stake.
Last week, the National Farmers Union Scotland President Martin Kennedy said before Holyrood that he recognised farmers could do more for the economy, climate change and biodiversity, but that this wouldn’t be possible if “the rug is pulled” from under their feet.
“The unintended consequences of Scottish Government getting this wrong will collapse the rural economy and our environment will suffer,” Kennedy said.
NFU Scotland’s budget submission asked for a full rollover of the previous funding with further measures representing an additional £156 million, for a total of £776 million in the 2025/26 budget.
Jonnie Hall, Director of Policy for NFU Scotland, said in a press release from November 25th that Scottish farmers and crofters deserve a budget that recognises the indispensable role of farmers and crofters in Scotland’s rural and national prosperity.
“Scotland’s farmers produce the food we rely on, act as stewards of the environment, and underpin the vitality of rural communities,” Hall said. “This cannot be overlooked or jeopardised by inadequate funding.”
Hall concluded that farmers are ready to deliver for Scotland, but they need the financial backing to do so.
Environmental groups across the country are backing farmers’ bid for more money.
Vicki Swales, Head of Policy for RSPB Scotland, said environmentalists and farmers are often seen as in a polarized debate but thinks there’s actually a large common ground between them.
“We recognize that farmers are trying to produce food sustainably and want to help nature and climate, but they need to be supported through the right policies and the right funding, and that’s where the budget plays a critical role,” Swales said.
With Scotland’s bloc budget increased by £3.4 billion this year, Swales said her organisation is hopeful that calls for increased funding for nature and climate-friendly farming will be heard.
“We think this is a really fundamentally important thing,” Swales said. “We know that the public and people in Scotland care about nature; they’re concerned about climate.”
Like many other environmental groups, Swales said RSPB wants to see the rural community supported and helped in that process.
“Farming, occupying 75% of Scotland’s land area, has a really important role to play in how we tackle climate change but also manage land in ways that can be good for nature,” Swales said.
Steve Micklewright, Co-Convenor of the Scottish Rewilding Alliance, said it is essential the Scottish Government allocates funding for those managing the land to protect and restore nature whilst making a secure living.
“Those who work and manage the land can play a pivotal role for delivering public goods such as ecosystem services,” Micklewright said. “They should be rewarded accordingly, just as farmers should receive fair prices for their products.”
The Scottish Rewilding Alliance wants more investment from the government to enable farmers, crofters and other land managers to restore nature at scale, including through funding and training.
“Helping nature bounce back in a big way – and moving the dial when it comes to trusting, respecting and investing in our farmers, crofters and land managers – can offer us all the chance of a more secure and prosperous future,” Micklewright said.
Micklewright said Scotland’s farmers, crofters and growers are “increasingly at the sharp edge of the climate and nature emergencies, which are hollowing away their ability to make a living.”
In 2019, a report for the WWF estimated that extreme weather is costing Scotland’s farmers over £160 million a year.
“Nature recovery is crucial to providing agriculture with a much more secure future,” Micklewright said. “With more than three-quarters of Scotland’s land being agricultural, the scope for major nature recovery here, working alongside and benefitting food production, is huge.”
