A fresh chapter is opening for Scotland’s crofting communities with the publication of the Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill.
The new legislation promises to make life simpler for crofters by cutting through complex red tape and offering clearer guidance on how crofting is regulated.
It also places greater power in the hands of local grazing committees, allowing those who work the land to have more say in its use and future.
Under the Bill, the Scottish Land Court and the Lands Tribunal for Scotland will merge into one streamlined body, which will continue to include a Gaelic speaking member as required by statute.
Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie spoke warmly about the vital role crofters play across the Highlands, Islands and Argyll.
“Crofting is at the heart of communities across many parts of the Highlands and Islands and Argyll,” he said.
“Crofters across these areas are cultivating land, tending livestock, protecting the environment and biodiversity.”
He highlighted that over the past decade more than £31 million has been committed through the Crofting Agricultural Grant Scheme, with a further £26 million approved in Croft House Grant payments since 2007.
Fairlie acknowledged that the existing body of crofting law can be difficult for crofters to navigate.
“This Bill allows us to make a range of simplifications and improvements to the way crofting is administered,” he said.
“It will benefit crofters and the Crofting Commission, and better recognise the vital contribution crofters make to their communities, as well as helping to preserve local heritage and culture.”
The merger of the two legal bodies into an expanded Scottish Land Court is designed to make accessing justice and land services more straightforward.
Fairlie explained that the move will lead to “greater simplicity, coherence and flexibility” in how these services are delivered.
For crofters, this is a welcome step towards clearer rules, stronger community voices and a system that better reflects the needs and values of those who live and work on the land.
As the Bill moves forward, it is hoped it will empower crofters to continue shaping a sustainable and thriving future for rural Scotland.
