The Scottish Tenant Farmers Association (STFA) is urging tenant farmers to respond to the government consultation on Land Reform before the 10th February deadline.

 

The consultation, which is being led by Environment Minister Aileen McLeod, is seeking views on a radical programme of land reform that will create a fairer and more equitable distribution of land in Scotland, delivering greater public benefits through a democratically accountable and transparent system of land rights which will promote fairness and social justice, environmental sustainability and economic prosperity.

STFA chairman Christopher Nicholson commented: "This consultation is picking up the threads of the land reform process that was started over a decade ago and it is important the Government hears views from as many people as possible. This is especially important for tenant farmers who will shortly be debating on the report from the Agricultural Holdings Legislation Review Group (AHLRG).

"Tenancy reform is an integral part of land reform and we welcome the Government's decision to bring forward legislative reforms to the tenanted sector as part of a land reform bill. After all, the highly regulated and complex tenancy system in Scotland is a direct consequence of the land tenure structure and its future should be considered as part of the wider reform agenda.

"Moreover, there will inevitably be significant overlaps between the recommendations of the AHLRG report and the proposals for land reform. For example, the proposal on the table to give ministers power to intervene "where the scale of landownership or the conduct of a landlord is acting as a barrier to a sustainable development" is very similar to the proposal being floated in the AHLRG's interim report to introduce procedures to enable a tenant to acquire the holding if the landlord was found to be in persistent breach of his contractual obligations."

STFA will be consulting with its members over the next few weeks, but Mr Nicholson urges all tenant farmers to make their voices heard, either through representative organisations or individually, "so we can all play our part in influencing land reform in Scotland and help create a fairer society for all".

Market round-up

Lawrie & Symington Ltd sold 59 store heifers in Lanark on Tuesday to a top of 224p per kg and an average of 204.7p, while 68 store bullocks peaked at 258.2p and levelled at 218.8p.

Messrs Craig Wilson Ltd sold 1578 prime hoggs in Newton Stewart yesterday to a top of £91 per head and 219.5p per kg to average 182p.

There were also 181 cast sheep forward when rams sold to £162 for a Texel and ewes peaked at £131, also for Texels.