If we had gazed into our crystal ball this time last year, I’m not sure many of us would have predicted 2022 panning out in way that it did.

For Scottish farming, it had been another tumultuous year – albeit one that has seen the industry continue to rise to the challenges it faces.

The inflation crisis, in large part fuelled by the war in Ukraine, led to a huge hike in input costs through rising fertiliser and fuel prices. Whilst this has been tempered by an increase in the prices achieved for the quality produce coming from Scottish farms, it has still been a difficult period to weather with an uncertain outlook continuing into 2023.

Whilst politicians in Holyrood and Westminster have a tough job on their hands with the current economic outlook, and have taken some steps to help rural Scotland, all too often it is piecemeal or not properly thought through.

As we move into 2023, our hope – however unlikely it may be – is that politicians and policymakers at every level start to pay greater attention to ‘rural proofing’ their policies and decisions.

Far too often the rural aspect of national legislation and policy are either ignored or downplayed, but the reality is that so many different policy areas have knock-on impacts for rural businesses and communities.

Housing is one key example, where a slew of legislative changes have been made this year regarding the private rented sector and short-term holiday lets.

Policy changes, whether you consider them right or wrong, are often being driven by what happens in urban areas, for example, the issues with short-term lets in Edinburgh. Organisations such as SL&E voiced concerns from our members about the unintended consequences of legislation on rural areas but all too often this is lost in the noise of parliamentary politics, swept aside as a minor hiccup to be dealt with – or not as the case often is – later down the line.

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Recent changes to housing legislation include the rent cap introduced until at least March 31, 2023, as well as housing tribunals being able to rule against property owners seeking vacant possession from a tenant, even where a property is intended for use by a tied worker and the tenant is no longer working for the business.

What this leads to is a situation where businesses such as farms and estates find it much more difficult and costly to operate and attract staff, leading to a knock-on impact on rural communities as well as conflict between the government’s own objectives in other policy areas. Effective legislation appears to play second fiddle to political grandstanding.

The lack of consideration of the rural impact extends beyond housing and indeed beyond Holyrood. The recent energy price guarantee introduced by the UK Government is a prime example whereby urban dwellers receive significantly greater financial support for energy bills than the initial £100 offered to off-grid homes – the majority of which will be in our rural areas.

SL&E campaigned vociferously on this issue and whilst this helped to achieve a doubling of support to £200, it still fell significantly short of what those on mains energy will be receiving.

Looking ahead, we expect significant legislation to move forward next year including a new Agriculture Bill, changes to the operation of grouse moor management and yet more land reform legislation. There is also the prospect of the creation of a new national park – but with the aims and objectives of that park as yet unclear.

How these issues are handled will have a significant impact on how rural businesses deliver on jobs, food production, cutting carbon emissions, improving biodiversity and sustaining thriving communities.

We’re positive about the contribution that farms and land-based businesses of all shapes and sizes can provide – we just need to hope that rural knowledge and experience is not pushed to the side as policy develops in 2023.