Farmers and crofters demand a just transition

Earlier this month, the Scottish Agroecology Partnership gathered outside Scottish Parliament to call on ministers to deliver on their promise of a just transition for agriculture.

The Scottish Government promised a just transition for farming – but their current rural support plans fail to deliver either justice or meaningful support for a sustainable, regenerative transition. The bulk of the agriculture budget looks set to go to large-scale landowners and agribusiness, while agroecological farmers and crofters struggle to make ends meet.

A unified call for change

Our message was clear: the people who grow Scotland’s food must be at the heart of shaping the country’s agricultural future. Farmers and crofters from our combined membership came to set out clear demands and proposals for a just transition in Scottish agriculture – calling for public support to be redirected toward farming practices that restore ecosystems, strengthen rural communities, and build a more resilient food system.

Tim Barnes, a sheep farmer from Dumfries and Galloway, was one of the farmers calling for change. He said:

"Redistribution of agricultural support would sustain and grow our rural communities, as well as enabling the production and distribution of many essential foods at the local level."

You can read Tim ’s recent blog on the topic in our News section.

Check out our 7 asks for a just transition

Redirect subsidies to support agroecological transition
Guarantee fair incomes for farmers and crofters
Invest in organic
Introduce targeted support for market gardens
Incentivise agroforestry in farming systems
Strengthen local food supply chains
Support peer-to-peer training and knowledge sharing

We were pleased to be joined by Cabinet Secretary Mairi Gougeon and Minister for Agriculture Jim Fairlie, who both took time out of their busy parliamentary schedules to listen to our asks. Press teams were also out in force, and the event featured in both The Scottish Farmer and local radio news.

Putting fairness at the heart of farming policy

SAP member Tara Wight, Scotland campaigns coordinator for the Landworkers’ Alliance, said:

"There are thousands of farmers and crofters across Scotland who are ready to lead this transition – but they need policies and funding mechanisms that support them, not shut them out”.

Therefore we are calling for the agriculture budget to be distributed differently – to genuinely support a transition for Scotland’s farmers, crofters, communities, and environment, with redistributive justice at its heart.

- 24 September 2025