Surveys are being
sent to land owners who rent out agricultural land in Scotland to ask about
their experience and views on the future of Scottish farming.
It is the second
phase of a major piece of research that will inform the work of the
Ministerial-led Review of Agricultural Holdings Legislation to identify how to
get the best from Scotland’s land and the people farming it. The review
is considering, among other issues, absolute right to buy for traditional
secure 1991 agricultural tenancies.
In the first phase
of the research, questionnaires were completed by about 3,000 tenant
farmers.
Rural Affairs
Secretary Richard Lochhead said:
“This
research is vital to the review of Agricultural Holdings Legislation I am
leading, as responses will influence our findings and the future of Scottish
farming.
“The survey
of tenant farmers has had a great response and we now need to hear from as many
land owners as possible. This means everyone who rents out agricultural land in
Scotland on all types of lets and leases, and may include farmers who also
rent-in land and have already completed the tenant farming survey.
“Although
this is a busy time in the agricultural calendar, the questionnaire will take
less than half an hour to complete and I urge everyone to take full advantage
of the opportunity to help us create a vibrant tenant farming sector in
Scotland.
“Copies of
the survey are being sent to landowners and can be obtained directly from Ipsos
MORI Scotland. It is important to use only original forms as duplicates will be
not accepted. All responses will be treated in the strictest
confidence.”
Notes To
Editors
Surveys asking
about experiences and views on the future of farming of Scotland are being sent
over the next week to about 3,000 farm businesses that the Scottish Government
knows rent out land. The Scottish Government is also asking agents to contact
clients who are land owners about the survey.
Anyone who has not
received a copy of the survey by Friday April 4, 2014 can request one by
contacting David.Myers@ipsos.com and providing details of the relevant
farming business including holding reference numbers. Responses can be
submitted online or on paper and are requested by April 7, 2014 although will
be accepted until early May.
Follow up research
to better understand landlord and tenant farmer relationships will be carried
out with a sample of tenant farmers and land owners in the coming
months.
All responses to
these surveys will be treated in the strictest confidence.
The surveys have
been carefully developed in collaboration with Tenant Farming Forum members
including National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS), Scottish Land and Estates
(SLE), Scottish Tenant Farmers Association (STFA), Royal Institution of
Chartered Surveyors, Scotland (RICS), and Scottish Agricultural Arbiters and
Valuers Association (SAAVA).
A report
incorporating all the strands of the research will be published on the Scottish
Government website later this year.