Scottish Farmers Rally Over Loss of Ring-Fenced Agricultural Funding

UK Budget changes to agricultural financing have raised fears of reduced support for Scotland's farming sector.

The UK Labour Government's October 30 Budget removed the ring-fencing of £620 million in agricultural funding for Scotland, integrating it into the general block grant.
Farmers and agricultural workers demonstrated outside the Scottish Parliament, urging the Scottish Government to secure and increase agricultural funding in its December 4 Budget.
National Farmers’ Union Scotland (NFUS) President Martin Kennedy warned that the changes create uncertainty for long-term planning and could harm the farming sector's stability.
Scottish Conservative and Liberal Democrat leaders joined the call for ring-fencing, citing risks to food security, environmental sustainability, and heritage if funds are redirected elsewhere.
A joint letter from Scottish ministers to the UK Treasury expressed alarm over the funding shift and potential negative impacts on tenant farmers due to related inheritance tax changes.