£40m fund to help Scots farmers become more climate friendly

The Agricultural Transformation programme will help farmers and crofters undertake a range of actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support sustainable farming and land use.

The scheme also seeks to improve the industry’s environmental credentials by protecting and restoring natural habitats and building sustainability through business practices that encourage productivity and innovation.

Speaking to journalists at NFU Scotland’s annual conference in Glasgow, Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said making the sector more sustainable would be ’commercially advantageous’ as consumers seek more environmentally friendly food.

“I think this will become a benefit for farmers because it will produce a market premium for food when you compare it to food that has not been produced in accordance with the high standards here,” said Mr Ewing, adding there was a ‘growing acceptance’ this was the future direction of travel for government policy.

Speaking just a few miles from the venue of the COP26 which is due to take place in November, Mr Ewing said there had been ‘little kickback’ from farmers.

“By sending this message now it allays some of the critics of farming that are quite vocal at the moment and causing concern to many farmers,” he added.

"So many farmers are already farming in this way so we are not starting from scratch.

"There is some really exciting work going on. Farmers are up for this."