
Lamb sales and land reform
Peter MacDougall

I am sitting here writing this with the weather hammering off the window on a Monday morning as Storm Floris makes her way across Argyll. I have 100 fat lambs, waiting patiently in the field outside the window to be taken to Oban for the first lamb sale tomorrow. The ferries were all cancelled today, fingers crossed they will be back up and running tomorrow morning, but I wait more in hope rather than in expectation now
It is like most things in farming, you hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Fair to say this has been a challenging year across the board, the weather, the grass, the politics. There have been no shortage of headlines and problems to address.
I always feel at this time of year as though I’m behind and playing catch up, there is something about July where you feel the to do list is about to get the better of you. But then you hit August and suddenly your back on top of things and starting to think about the improvements you can make for next year, the lessons learned, and the potential for positive change. I think it comes down to being able to take practical steps forward to improve your own situation.
In many ways it’s quite like the ups and downs of following Part 2 of the Land Reform Bill. Sometimes it feels as though we are making good progress, sometimes less so, but the Bill is edging closer to completion and it does feel like we are approaching a significant milestone.
The focus must now turn to how we implement it meaningfully and use it as a springboard for practical change. Not just in the legal framework, but in the behaviours, relationships and incentives that shape how land is used.
This comes back to practical steps forward to improve the situation, we need to create an environment where letting land is seen as a viable, attractive and realistic option for landlords, and where tenants have the confidence and security to invest in the land they work.
So how do we move things forward?
We need to build confidence in the system
That means clarity in how the law is understood and applied. Guidance, support and good communication will be central to helping both tenants and landlords navigate the new framework with confidence. We have a range of Guides and Codes of Practice on our website that support existing legislation, I encourage everyone to make use of them, and we will continue to build on these resources.
We must reduce perceived risks and barriers to letting land
We need to make it easier, and more worthwhile, for landowners to let land. While legislative protections are essential, we must also encourage a culture that sees tenancy as a constructive, long-term relationship, not a legal risk.
Use the wider policy and support environment to enable change
We need to ensure new entrants are being given the opportunity to farm. It’s important that the sector accommodates their needs, is fit for purpose, and uses all levers available to make it work.
There is an appetite for positive change throughout the sector, what we need now is a period of stability, clarity and practical support to deliver it.