Orkney farmers join Scottish colleagues to call for fair funding at rally at Holyrood

Hundreds of farmers, including from Orkney, have brought their concerns for the future of the sector to the doors of the Scottish Parliament.

Farmers and crofters have staged a rally at Holyrood in Edinburgh today to call on the Scottish Government to deliver increased and ringfenced funding for agriculture.

The rally saw speeches made from industry leaders and politicians, ahead of the Scottish budget on December 4.

NFU Scotland has published a budget submission which outlines a clear case for increased investment in agriculture and rural development in Scotland.

This pivotal moment comes as funding responsibilities for agricultural and rural policy are now entirely devolved to the Scottish Government.

For the 2025/26 fiscal year, the Scottish Government will receive an increased block grant from Westminster, including the £620 million previously ring-fenced for the Agriculture and Rural Economy (ARE) portfolio.

While the £620 million has been rolled over, it is no longer ring-fenced, leaving its allocation entirely at the discretion of Scottish Government.

NFU Scotland is calling for an increase in the ARE budget in addition to the promised return of £46 million previously deferred from agricultural funding.

In total, NFU Scotland’s budget measures would equate to £776 million in funding for farming and crofting in the 2025/26 budget.

NFU Scotland director of policy Jonnie Hall said: “Scottish farmers and crofters deserve a budget that recognises the indispensable role of farmers and crofters in Scotland’s rural and national prosperity. Our contributions span from producing high-quality, sustainable food to driving socio-economic growth in rural areas and tackling climate and biodiversity challenges.

“Scotland’s farmers and crofters produce the food we rely on, act as stewards of the environment, and underpin the vitality of rural communities. This cannot be overlooked or jeopardised by inadequate funding.”

More on this in next week’s The Orcadian.