Consultation to modernise small landholdings legislation

There is still time to take part in the consultation to modernise small landholdings legislation.

Scotland’s farmers, crofters, land-managers, small holders and small landholders are vital to our ambition to make our nation fairer and greener, and small landholders are part of this farming ambition.

Small scale producers are our innovators in food and land management, and the Scottish Government are determined to support them by modernising the small landholdings legislation so they can play their part in helping Scottish agriculture address global food security and the climate and biodiversity crises whilst reaching Net Zero by 2045.

To support development of legislation the Scottish Government want to hear the views of the public, those interested in small landholdings and those with lived experience of small landholding to inform a consultation to modernise small landholdings legislation.

A face to face event was held on the 21 November in Arran which provided an opportunity to engage with the proposals contained in the consultation. However, with the consultation closing on 14 January 2023 there is still time to have your views considered.

Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon stated:

"Scotland’s farmers, crofters and land-managers are vital to our ambition to make our nation fairer and greener, and small landholders are part of this farming ambition. I urge everyone to take the opportunity to share your views and engage with this process, and please encourage everyone you know to take part in this consultation as well. I know many of you contributed to the Scottish Government’s Small landholdings in Scotland: legislation review 2016, and this consultation builds on your responses to that review. Your responses to this consultation will give us a tremendous insight into how best we can begin modernising small landholdings."

Read the consultation paper here