Dee Ward, Chair of SLE, has urged the Finance Secretary, Shona Robison, to conduct a robust rural impact assessment for all spending and taxation plans.
Dee Ward said: "Rural Scotland is the backbone of our efforts to tackle climate change, restore nature, and deliver economic prosperity across the country. Too often, however, the specific needs and challenges of rural communities are overlooked. This Budget provides a vital opportunity to address that imbalance."
Key rural priorities for the Scottish Budget identified by Scottish Land & Estates are:
• Multi-Annual Agricultural Funding - SLE is urging the Scottish Government to establish a clear, uplifted, and multi-annual funding package for agriculture to mitigate the impacts of recent UK Budget decisions. The removal of ringfenced agricultural funding by Westminster has left Scotland's farmers facing uncertainty.
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• Restoring the Nature Restoration Fund - SLE is also calling for the restoration of the £5 million cut to the Nature Restoration Fund.
• Addressing the Rural Housing Crisis - SLE highlighted the critical issue of rural housing, revealing earlier this month that over £100 million intended for rural housing had been redirected to urban local authorities in recent years.
Mr Ward continued: "The Scottish Government must take this chance to ensure that our farmers have the tools and resources they need to deliver food security, tackle climate change, and restore nature. This isn't just about supporting agriculture – it's about creating a sustainable future for all of Scotland.
"The Scottish Government has continually trumpeted its commitment to the environment and nature recovery - but their actions have not always been in keeping with their words. We want to see the restoration of the £5 million cut to the Nature Restoration Fund, a relatively small fund which has delivered significant results for nature and rural communities alike. Restoring this funding would empower land managers to tackle biodiversity loss, create green jobs, and enhance the long-term sustainability of our rural areas."
Dee Ward added: "Housing is the cornerstone of any sustainable community. For too long, rural Scotland has been short-changed, with funding intended to be directed to rural areas instead used for the periphery of cities such as Edinburgh and Aberdeen. Channelling this funding back to its intended purpose would not only tackle rural depopulation but also help address Scotland's broader housing crisis.
"Rural Scotland has a central role in addressing the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, but it cannot do so without targeted support. We urge the Cabinet Secretary to seize this opportunity to make a real difference for those who live and work in Scotland's rural areas."
