As the Agriculture and Rural Communities Bill continues to make its way through the system at Holyrood, 40 land managers, and community representatives attended parliament to meet with the Rural Affairs and Islands committee.

The committee was keen to hear the views of those whose daily lives and livelihoods will be impacted most by the legislation.

A Holyrood spokesperson said the committee wanted to capture the experiences, concerns, and expectations of a spread of stakeholders including crofters, farmers, tenant farmers, community development representatives, and integrated land management specialists, through a day of reflection and discussion.

Information collated from the event will influence the questions put to cabinet secretary Mairi Gougeon, who is due to give evidence to the committee this week. It will also feed directly into the recommendations the committee makes at the end of its stage 1 scrutiny.

Addressing the attendees, committee convener Finlay Carson MSP, said: “No voice is more important than whose daily lives and livelihoods will be most impacted by this legislation and that is what today was all about – hearing individuals’ experiences and concerns and making sure that they are reflected in the legislation put before Parliament for approval.

READ MORE | Holyrood continues to scrutinise Scotland's Rural Bill

“There has been a fantastic exchange of views here today with discussion and reflection at the heart of it all. We are now looking forward to being able to question the Cabinet Secretary on Wednesday, with all these important insights at the forefront of our thinking.”

Delegates were asked questions across a range of issues, including climate change, what support is required to make communities, businesses, and organisations resilient, and how can a ‘Rural Support Plan’ be tailored so that all relevant stakeholders have an opportunity to shape it and receive the support they need from it.

For the last 12 months, the Committee has been scrutinising agriculture policy through a programme of evidence sessions, a call for views, roundtable discussions, and visits to farms across Scotland. The Committee expects to publish its Stage 1 report in March 2024.