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Farming in Scotland

Croft near Golspie, Scotland

The north and west are characterised by extensive livestock production, with crofting a key feature in the more remote mainland areas and on the islands. Farming in the south and east of the country tends to be more intensive and there is comparatively more arable production here.

Eighty-four per cent of the country is currently classified as Less Favoured Area. Despite having so much farmed land, and beautiful landscapes and wildlife, Scotland currently has one of the most poorly funded agri-environment programmes in Europe.

The RSPB in Scotland is working for:

  • better funding for our agri-environment programme, to bring it in line with other UK and European countries 
  • better integration of agriculture policy with the objectives of water, climate change and forestry policies 
  • Rural Development Contracts (RDCs) that target national and regional priorities, including management to benefit key species such as corncrakes, corn buntings, breeding wading birds and black grouse 
  • an appropriate level of land management planning and advice to accompany RDCs, so that they deliver the most for the environment and land managers and they encourage farmers to work together 
  • a revised system of Less Favoured Area payments that rewards farmers for the delivery of environmental benefits, and aims to keep farming areas of high nature value in good condition or improve their condition where it has deteriorated
  • a review of cross compliance to ensure that pollution and other practices that damage biodiversity are addressed
  • the establishment of a mitigation scheme for the loss of set-aside.

Last modified: 12 June 2008

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