Review of the year 2024
It is difficult to believe that we are coming to the end of another year. 2024 certainly has not disappointed in terms of activity on the policy front, with historic legislation passing through the Scottish Parliament to replace the EU Common Agricultural Policy, the second change in First Minister in 13 months, the end of the SNP–Greens co-operation deal and a general election which saw a change in government at Westminster and the imposition of a hugely unpopular change to inheritance tax rules.
January
2024 began with a squeeze on the public finances and cuts to many departments in the Scottish Budget, including a reduction of £33m in the Rural Affairs portfolio. The initial announcement also included a drop in the Agri-Environment and Climate Scheme budget of £6m, while funding for woodland grants was down from £33m. Despite the tough climate, support for organic conversion and maintenance was protected, underlining the high-level political support for organic farming in Scotland.
February
The long-awaited National Good Food Plan was published, beginning a 12-week period of public consultation. The plan set out the government’s goals for food policy and outlined how it intends to deliver on the ‘Good Food Nation’ ambition. Meanwhile, First Minister Humza Yousaf took the stage at the NFU Scotland conference in Glasgow and confirmed that the majority – at least 70% – of the agricultural budget will be paid in direct payments to farmers and crofters from 2026 onwards.
March
The UK Committee on Climate Change (CCC), the independent, statutory advisor to the Scottish and UK governments – produced a scathing progress report to parliament. The CCC said that Scotland has missed eight of its 12 annual targets, with most key indicators including tree planting and peatland restoration rates behind schedule and the 2030 emissions target unachievable. It called for stronger action across all sectors of the economy to provide a pathway to the 2040 and 2045 net zero targets.
April
Soil Association Scotland responded to the consultation on the National Good Food Plan, welcoming the inclusion of uptake of Food for Life Scotland as an indicator for progress on two of the plan’s six outcomes. We also called for a goal to be set for reaching 15% organic in public procurement with an interim 5% target by 2030 and a 10% reduction target for the consumption of ultra-processed food.
May
A week can be a long time in politics, but a month? May saw Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf step down after just over a year in office, John Swinney come in as his replacement, the Bute House Agreement between the SNP and the Greens end and a snap general election called by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Meanwhile, the Agriculture and Rural Communities Bill – introduced in September 2023 – reached its third and final stage in the Scottish Parliament.
June
With an election campaign in full swing, politicians flocked to the Royal Highland Show to demonstrate their commitment to agriculture and rural communities. Amid a packed schedule, Soil Association Scotland was delighted to secure Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands Mairi Gougeon MSP to speak to our launch event for a a new policy report with Woodland Trust Scotland on integrating more trees on farms and crofts.
July
The UK general election saw a landslide victory for Labour, with Sir Keir Starmer installed in Downing Street with a majority of 174 seats, and the Conservatives down 251 seats to just 121 MPs. Meanwhile, the summer calendar of farming events continued with the GO Falkland event in Fife. Soil Association Scotland co-hosted the ‘tree’ tent with Scottish Forestry and Woodland Trust Scotland and joined panels including the AHDB session on organic farming. Meanwhile, the Agriculture and Rural Communities Act 2024 was passed into law.
August
MSPs returned to the Scottish Parliament after the summer recess to hear John Swinney launch a new Programme for Government, just a few weeks on from a bruising election campaign in which the SNP lost 39 of its 48 seats. Titled ‘Serving Scotland’ the PfG was a mixed bag, including a welcome pledge to introduce a Natural Environment Bill with statutory targets for nature restoration, while targets for peatland restoration and woodland creation were scaled back.
September
Soil Association Exchange published a new report, From Data to Decisions, which provided detailed insights from the first cohort of 658 farms surveyed between summer 2022 and summer 2024. Measuring outcomes across six areas – soil health, carbon, biodiversity, animal welfare, water and people and society – SA Exchange is providing a valuable resource for assessing and understanding the impact of various nature-friendly actions on farms – and attracting the attention of policy makers here in Scotland.
October
Soil Association Scotland and WWF Scotland launched a policy report at the Scottish Parliament. ‘Farming for Net Zero’ made recommendations for more monitoring of on-farm activities, further research into emissions associated with new measures and addressing barriers to uptake. Meanwhile, guidance for the new Whole Farm Plan requirement on basic payments was updated, following representations from Soil Association Scotland and SOPA. The government agreed equivalence on the animal health and welfare plan and the integrated pest management plan with existing SA plans – reducing paperwork and time for organic licensees.
November
With the end of the year and another budget-setting process approaching, Soil Association joined a host of other organisations in making the case for a new, funded Scottish Organic Action Plan. Stakeholders made the case that organic production can help to deliver on government objectives in the Agriculture and Rural Communities Act 2024 – including climate adaptation, nature restoration and improved animal health and welfare – as well as the objectives of the Good Food Nation Act 2022 and the Biodiversity Strategy to 2045. Meanwhile, changes at UK level to Inheritance Tax led to mass protests at Westminster – and outside the Scottish Parliament – as farmers made their feelings clear about the potential impact on the future of the sector.
December
The start of another budget process as Finance Secretary Shona Robison set out the government’s spending proposals, boosted by an extra £3.4bn in funding from Westminster. For farming, £20m of the £46m previously removed from the agriculture budget was restored and placed into a capital fund for agricultural transformation, with the total ag budget of £620m rolled over from last year. There was a big increase in the budget for peatland restoration (£20m), partial restoration of previous cuts to the woodland grant scheme (up 16.8%) and a 24.4% uplift in the budget for ‘food and drink’ which is where any funding for an Organic Action Plan is likely to sit. It will be February next year before the budget is finalised however, so more to do in the New Year!