Tenant Farming Forum Continues to Make Progress
2009-03-26

The Tenant Farming Forum continues to make progress towards proposing changes to the Scottish agricultural holdings legislation that would encourage the release of more land to the Scottish agricultural market for letting.

tenantfarmingforum.org.uk

Speaking after today’s (Thursday, 26 March) meeting of the Tenant Farming Forum (TFF), chairman Jeff Maxwell said:

“Following an extensive consultation amongst the respective TFF membership organisations, the TFF continues to make significant progress towards proposing changes to the Scottish agricultural holdings legislation that would encourage the release of more land to the Scottish agricultural market for letting.

“All members of the TFF recognise that amendments would be needed to the relevant legislation to achieve that objective and we have agreement that those amendments would include adjustments related to the provisions for fixed equipment and associated compensation for tenants’ improvements.

“Members also agree that changes to the duration of tenancies are also required to stimulate the let land market and we are working towards consensus within the group on what those changes to duration lengths should be.

“Discussions are well advanced and the TFF is well placed to make recommendations to the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Richard Lochhead, that would allow him and his officials to bring forward amendments to the existing legislation within the current Scottish parliamentary session.”

Note:
The TFF member organisations are as follows: Scottish Tenant Farmers Association, Scottish Estates Business Group, Scottish Rural Property and Business Association, Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, Law Society and NFU Scotland. Observers on the group are the Scottish Government and the Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs.

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