Scottish farm leaders have called for a new land reform bill to deliver balance between the rights of tenants and landlords in Scotland.
The Scottish government's new Land Reform (Scotland) Bill proposes a raft of changes affecting the ownership and letting of land in Scotland.
Large landholdings of over 1,000 hectares represent more than 50% of Scotland’s land.
The legislation relates to these, such as management and transfer of ownership, as well as to the leasing of land and the provision of agricultural tenancies.
The bill is currently at stage 1 in the parliamentary process, with farming groups giving evidence today (25 June) to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport (NZET) committee.
In its evidence, NFU Scotland stressed the need for balance between the rights of landlords and tenants, urging the Scottish government not to implement provisions that could introduce more complexity to the issue.
The union also highlighted the need to consider the availability of land for future letting by the next generation of Scottish farmers.
Speaking after the evidence session, NFU Scotland's head of policy Gemma Cooper said the union believes in a 'healthy and vibrant' tenanted sector.
She said: “A key point for NFU Scotland is that let land is a vital entry point for the next generation of farmers but the amount of it available to those who want to get a start in our industry continues to decline. That must be tackled.
“Much of the bill is focussed on addressing issues around secure tenancies and this is an important step forward for tenants and landlords involved in these types of agreement.
“We also took the opportunity to express concern that some of the proposals, as drafted, do not have the correct balance or clarity.”
Ms Cooper said the union believes that workable solutions can be achieved if the Scottish government works with stakeholders through the Tenant Farming Advisory Forum (TFAF).
“The right balance on provisions such as this will be critical to ensure that let land is available in the future," she concluded.
The bill also seeks to give communities more opportunities to own land through introducing advance notice of certain sales from large landholdings.
Legal responsibilities will be placed on large landowners to show how they use their land and how that use contributes to policy priorities, such as addressing climate change.
These landowners will have to engage with local communities about how they use the land, the Scottish government said.
And the bill includes a number of measures to reform tenant farming and small landholding legislation.
Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said the legislation would allow the benefits and opportunities of Scotland’s land to be more widely shared.
“We do not think it is right that ownership and control of much of Scotland’s land is still in the hands of relatively few people," she said.
“We want to be a nation where rights and responsibilities in relation to land and its natural capital are fully recognised and fulfilled.
“Too often, people and communities feel powerless when the land they live on is sold with no prior warning – this bill will help to change that."
