Scottish crofters welcome more supportive land laws

Scottish crofters have welcomed new legislation aimed at simplifying land management rules and easing administrative burdens, following the passage of the Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill at Holyrood on 24 March.

The reforms are expected to have a direct impact on farming families in the Highlands and Islands, where crofting remains central to agricultural livelihoods and rural communities.

Among the key measures is a faster process for transferring crofts within families, a move seen as vital for succession planning and keeping land in active use.

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The bill also strengthens the role of grazing committees that manage shared pasture, while restricting the separation of crofts from their associated grazing rights without approval.

Crofters will gain more influence over how their land is used, alongside updated powers for the Crofting Commission to enforce duties and safeguard croft land from neglect.

Agriculture minister Jim Fairlie said: “Crofting sits at the heart of the culture and heritage of the Highlands and Islands, sustaining many communities, and supporting the jobs and businesses for many people.

“At its heart this bill is about tackling the modern challenges faced by crofters.

“This is needed if we want to ensure the sustainability of crofting and crofting communities in the long term and enable a new generation of crofters to thrive for years to come.”

Further changes include merging the Scottish Land Court and the Lands Tribunal for Scotland into a single body to streamline dispute resolution.

Industry welcome

Industry representatives have broadly welcomed the new legislation, and a commitment for further policy upgrades.

The Scottish Crofting Federation (SCF) said the government had shown it is “willing to listen where crofters have given clear evidence and made proposals for improvements”.

However, SCF chief executive Donna Smith cautioned that questions remain over whether the reforms go far enough to address issues such as absenteeism and neglected land.

She said: “Crofting holds tremendous opportunities for sensible land management that perfectly aligns with the government objectives for climate, biodiversity and sustainable and regenerative agriculture.

“However, the risks and uncertainties surrounding carbon will remain a barrier, despite the new provisions on environmental use.”

Rural business organisation Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) also cautiously welcomed the Bill and the positive engagement.

Jackie McCreery, SLE legal adviser, added: “We support efforts in the legislation to prevent shares in common grazings being detached from the parent croft.

“Communal activity on the common grazings for shared benefit is a unique feature of crofting which sets it apart from other forms of land tenure.

“Too many common grazings are effectively abandoned and the owners are powerless to do anything productive with them if shareholders cannot be traced or cannot reach agreement.”

The bill also commits ministers to review wider crofting laws within three years, signalling further potential changes for the sector.