Crofting

International trade and investment are vital to improving Scotland's competitiveness and reducing economic inequality. The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is a free-trade agreement (FTA) between 11 countries around the Pacific Rim: Canada, Mexico, Peru, Chile, New Zealand, Australia, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Japan.

The Scottish Rural Network will be supporting Scottish Government Just Transition policy colleagues to engage directly with rural and island communities this summer.

A series of community workshops will be undertaken in July and August to engage directly with rural and island communities across Scotland, which will help shape and inform our approach to the Land Use and Agriculture Just Transition.

In recent weeks monitoring by NatureScot and partners, including the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), RSPB Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland, has revealed worrying signs that more seabirds may be succumbing to the virus.

In particular there has been a rise in reports of dead kittiwakes, black-headed gulls, herring gulls, terns and guillemots being washed up on the east coast of Scotland, stretching from Wick in Caithness to St Abbs in Berwickshire.  

Agricultural support in Scotland is changing. From 2025, new conditionality will start to be introduced to agricultural payments, targeted towards biodiversity gain and a drive to low carbon approaches.

To help support farmers, crofter and land managers, Scottish Government have produced a range of information sheets to help farmers and crofters prepare for these changes, to identify recommendations that can lower emissions and increase efficiencies.