Agricultural tenancy data collection for Scotland: findings report
This report summarises how agricultural tenancy data in Scotland can be improved, outlining key issues with past surveys, comparing revised question sets, and recommending the most effective approaches for future data collection.
Part of
Introduction
Background and policy context
Collecting robust, high-quality data on Scotland’s evolving agricultural tenancy landscape is essential for effective policymaking, enabling informed decisions that support and sustain the sector. Agricultural tenancy questions were removed from the June Agricultural Census (JAC) after 2021, in part due to concerns about data quality. Nevertheless, reliable and comprehensive tenancy information remains critical to support evidence-based policymaking and long-term planning.
In this context, the objective of this research was to explore viable approaches for redesigning tenancy questions that could be further considered and taken forward by the Scottish Government. To achieve this, a combination of interviews, workshops, and surveys was conducted with stakeholders to design, refine, and test new agricultural tenancy question sets.
A summary of the insights is provided below, with further detail on methodology to be covered in the accompanying Methodology Report.
Report structure
This is the first of two reports produced for this project. It presents two potential routes for data collection, an assessment of the usability of each, and recommendations for their implementation.
The accompanying Methodology Report outlines the approach used to develop the insights and recommendations presented here.
This Findings Report presents a summary of our findings, including two potential options for refined question sets: one proposed for reinstatement in the JAC and another for inclusion in the Single Application Form (SAF).
The first section of this report outlines the context underpinning this research, including the value of agricultural tenancy data and key factors that have affected the quality of historical data collection. It also provides a summary of the approach taken to meet the research objectives. The second section presents the two adapted question sets, followed by an assessment of their usability. The final section sets out the potential routes for collecting agricultural tenancy data, along with broader recommendations on implementation.
Supporting guidance to accompany the question sets and recommendations for additional variables are included in Appendices A and B, respectively.
Contact
Email: agric.stats@gov.scot