Douglas Lumsden MSP attended the Turriff Show – Scotland’s largest two-day agricultural event – alongside Scottish Conservative Leader Russell Findlay MSP and Gordon and Buchan MP Harriet Cross, meeting with farmers, land managers, and rural business owners to discuss the challenges facing the sector.
During the event, they engaged with representatives from the National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS), British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), and Scottish Land & Estates (SLE). The message they received was clear: farmers feel increasingly ignored and under pressure from both the SNP Government in Holyrood and the Labour Government at Westminster.
One of the most pressing issues raised was the looming 20% inheritance tax hike on farms, due to take effect from April next year under Labour’s proposals. Douglas warned that this policy risks devastating family-run farms that have been built up over generations, potentially breaking them up permanently.
Concerns were also voiced about the SNP’s proposed Muirburn licensing scheme, which many in the industry believe will add unnecessary bureaucracy and hinder effective land management. Farmers stressed the lack of adequate resources to combat the growing threat of wildfires.
Other key topics included:
- The increasing number of pylons, battery storage sites, and wind turbines being placed on farmland without sufficient local consultation.
- The SNP Government’s opposition to gene editing in agriculture, which farmers say leaves them at a competitive disadvantage compared to the rest of the UK and beyond.
These concerns come against the backdrop of new Office for National Statistics data showing that 6,365 rural businesses closed in the past year – the highest figure since records began in 2017. Alarmingly, most of these closures took place in the six months following Labour’s autumn budget.
Douglas said that rural Scotland is “bearing the brunt of short-sighted policies” and stressed the urgent need for both of Scotland’s governments to listen to those on the ground.
He added:
“Our farmers and rural businesses are the backbone of the North East economy. They deserve more than warm words – they need genuine support and a voice at the top table. Whether it’s resisting damaging tax hikes or pushing back against unworkable land legislation, I will always stand up for the North East’s rural communities.”
Douglas reaffirmed his commitment to continue pressing for policies that protect and strengthen Aberdeenshire’s agricultural heartland, ensuring that farmers and rural businesses are given the respect, resources, and opportunities they deserve.
