Tenant Farming Forum Leads Way for Tenanted Sector
26/07/07

Scotland’s Minister for the Environment, Michael Russell, yesterday launched the Tenant Farming Forum (TFF) website and Guide to Good Relations document.

www.tenantfarmingforum.org.uk

The Tenant Farming Forum is an independent body which was set up to promote a healthy farm tenanted sector in Scotland. The members of the forum are: NFU (National Farmers’ Union) Scotland, Scottish Rural Property and Business Association (SRPBA), Scottish Estates Business Group (SEBG), Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Scotland, the Scottish Tenant Farmers Association (STFA) and the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs (SAYFC). The Scottish Executive attends meetings as observers.

The launch of the new website and Guide to Good Relations document took place at Douneside House, by kind permission of MacRobert Trust, Tarland, Aboyne, commencing at 11.00am. The event was sponsored by Strutt and Parker.

Minister for Environment, Michael Russell, said:

“I am delighted to be invited to formally launch the Tenant Farming Forum’s website and Guide to Good Relations. This is an excellent example of what can be achieved through partnership and collaborative working from key organisations across the tenanted farming sector of the industry.

“The tenanted sector in Scotland is a vital force in determining rural prosperity and it is in everyone’s interests to make it work. The new website will provide open access to independent and authoritative information to help promote a better understanding of complex agricultural tenancy legislation, and build confidence for both tenants and landowners. Developing good relationships and communications between landlord and tenant is crucial to the success of the sector and I hope the new guide will provide both the encouragement and a means to make this happen.”

Jeff Maxwell, Chairman of the TFF, said:

“Developing confidence, trust and open communication lie at the heart of successful working relationships. That is why launching the Guide to Good Relations between Landlord and Tenant and our user-friendly Web Site today is so important. They are two ways in which the Tenant Farming Forum can achieve its purpose of helping to promote a healthy farm tenanted sector in Scotland. The TFF will continue to work to create circumstances in which there is a ‘minimum’ of uncertainty as to the future security of each party’s interests and which secures sustainable outcomes for both tenant and landowner.”

Notes:

· The primary purpose of the Tenant Farming Forum is to help to promote a healthy farm tenanted sector in Scotland.

It aims to fulfil this purpose by:

1. Providing a discussion forum among those representing groups/organisations with a direct involvement in the sector, and who are committed to consensus building through fair and equitable discussion and representation;

2. Contributing to an understanding of the significance, and the practical implications of implementing current legislation, (for example, at this time, the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 2003), and any future proposed legislation governing the sector;

3. Identifying specifically, and raising awareness of issues that may inhibit or act as impediments to achieving effective relationships within the sector;

4. Formulating views and opinions as to how effective relationships and ‘best practice’ can be developed and secured;

5. Consulting and liasing with government departments, agencies and other bodies about matters that may directly affect relationships within the sector; and

6. Having a vision as to how the future well being of the sector can be assured in the context of proposed changes in European and UK agricultural and environmental policies, and their implications for the rural economy; and continually reviewing the implications for the sector of new initiatives, for example, such as contract farming, and rural planning developments.

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