Agribusiness News July 2023

Welcome to the July edition of Agribusiness News.  If you prefer to download this document click the download button.

N e w s  i n  b r i e f

Royal Highland Show showcases policy updates and industry progress

As always, June has been a busy month, and the Highland Show brought its usual batch of much-awaited launches and announcements.

Following mounting tension from the farming community about the lack of clarity on what a post-Brexit agricultural and land use policy might look like, the release of various policy reports and updates provides interesting and much-awaited reading. These include:

• The announcement by Mhairi Gougeon on new conditions for farm support payments from 2025, including Whole Farm Plans, peatland and wetland protection, and conditions on the Suckler Beef Support Scheme – for further information see page 2;
• Scottish Government’s Response to the Climate Change Committee’s 2022 annual progress report – further detail in the article on page 9;
• A discussion paper on Just Transition and Land Use in agriculture, exploring the current context as well as policy ambition;
• The Scottish Natural Capital Accounts for 2023, estimating the quality and value of natural capital services in Scotland.
• The Agricultural Reform Route Map to 2032, developed in consultation with ARIOB and the Farmer-Led Groups;
• The new 10-year Food and Drink stability strategy, highlighting opportunities for Scotland to add value to its unique and valuable agrifood sector.

Next month:

• The whisky industry and net zero
• Feed and rationing update
• Direct marketing for diversification

This month’s editor: Anna Sellars