Yet, as we move through August, the detailed guidance expected this summer has yet to materialise. The Agricultural Reform Route Map and the National Test Programme offer a sense of direction, but the lack of clarity around future conditionality and funding mechanisms is creating uncertainty across the industry.
On 16 June 2025, Scotland took another formal step towards agricultural reform with the commencement of key provisions in the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024. This legislation lays the groundwork for a new support system, with a transitional period running through 2025–2026 and full implementation expected by 2027.
Sustainable Farming Scheme
Meanwhile, Wales has provided far greater transparency and detail in its future support policy. On 15 July, the Welsh Government unveiled its finalised Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS)—a transformative policy that replaces the Basic Payment Scheme with a model that rewards farmers for delivering public goods such as clean air, biodiversity, and climate resilience.
At the heart of the SFS is a £107 per hectare social value payment—a bold recognition that farming contributes to society in ways that extend far beyond the market and beyond the farm gate. The scheme includes both universal and optional actions, and encourages collaboration across landscapes to deliver large-scale environmental outcomes. It is cohesive, ambitious, and rooted in a clear vision of what sustainable farming should look like.
Incremental Progress
Scotland, by contrast, remains in a holding pattern. While some welcome the incremental progress as preferable to a “cliff-edge” transition, frustration persists over the lack of clarity and urgency. The Basic Payment Scheme remains in place, and although reform is underway, it currently lacks the coherence and momentum of the Welsh approach.
Officially Tuberculosis Free Status
According to our rural agents, Scotland is increasingly seen as a haven for buyers from south of the border. One key driver for cattle farms is Scotland’s Officially Tuberculosis Free (OTF) status, held since 2009. In contrast to the emotional and financial toll of bovine TB in parts of England and Wales—where farmers face movement restrictions, herd loss, and costly testing—Scotland offers significantly lower disease-related risks and burdens. Over 60% of herds are exempt from routine testing, and there are fewer obstacles to business continuity and expansion.
Additionally, despite recent increases in land values, Scotland’s rural economy still presents comparative value for money. With competitive land prices, expanding opportunities in sustainable and regenerative farming, and a growing market for environmentally conscious produce, England’s farmers are finding clear incentives to relocate or invest north of the border. These shifts reflect not only strategic economic decisions but, for some buyers, a preference for Scotland’s progressive values and community-driven ethos.
Scotland stands at a crossroads
As Wales prepares to launch the Sustainable Farming Scheme in January 2026, Scotland stands at a crossroads: continue down the path of incremental reform, or seize the opportunity to pursue a bold, forward-looking vision for agriculture—one that aligns with our national values, empowers rural communities, and tackles environmental challenges head-on.
Regardless of the direction chosen, there is widespread consensus across the industry: far greater clarity is urgently needed on policy details and their practical implications. Only then can farmers and land managers begin to plan confidently, make informed decisions, and shape resilient, future-ready businesses.
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