Agricultural reform: strategic environmental assessment - post-adoption statement

Introduction

The Scottish Government is currently developing their Agricultural Reform changing how the government will support farming and food production in Scotland. The Agricultural Reform involves the development of a new policy framework to deliver the ‘Vision for Agriculture’ which establishes the long-term vision for Scotland to become a global leader in sustainable agriculture. The new policy framework will replace the current Common Agricultural Policy and the Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP). It will support the delivery of the Vision for Agriculture

The Agricultural Reform and its implementation via the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 [See reference 1], lie at the heart of Scotland’s commitment to become “a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture” and deliver “high quality food production, climate mitigation and adaptation, and nature restoration”.

The Agricultural Reform Route Map [See reference 2] sets out the process for changing to the new agricultural support framework, outlining key dates for change, future measures being considered, when existing schemes will end and how farmers should prepare for change.

The Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 requires Scottish Ministers to publish a Rural Support Plan which sets out requirements on the role, content, scrutiny, reporting and monitoring and evaluation of plans. The Rural Support Plan will build upon for the Vision for Scottish Agriculture and the Agricultural Reform Route Map and outline the phased transition from legacy EU CAP schemes to the new four-tier framework. The Rural Support Plan formally lays out the changes which were considered in this SEA.