Protest at Scottish Parliament next week – alliance to rally for sustainable farming

A newly formed coalition of farmers, crofters, growers and food system advocates will gather outside the Scottish Parliament next week, urging ministers to accelerate a just transition in agriculture and back policies that reward nature-friendly farming. The group says current proposals on rural support risk entrenching inequality and delaying the shift to climate- and biodiversity-positive practices.

Farmers, crofters and citizens to gather at Holyrood

The rally is planned for Wednesday 3 September, from 12–2pm, at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh. Organisers say the event will bring frontline voices to the fore, with farmers and crofters sharing practical experience and setting out a roadmap for change. A community meal made from locally sourced, agroecological produce will be served to spotlight the kind of food system they want Scotland to champion: seasonal, local and fair.

Why they’re mobilising

The Scottish Agroecology Partnership, the network coordinating the action, argues that the Scottish Government’s blueprint for a just transition in land and agriculture has not yet translated into rural support that genuinely enables change. While policy documents promise a greener, fairer future, the coalition says the current direction still channels much of the agricultural budget to the largest landholdings and businesses.

According to the alliance, this approach disadvantages those already adopting or seeking to adopt agroecological methods—such as mixed farming, low-input systems, agroforestry and soil-first management—who often operate on tighter margins and with less land. They warn that without targeted support and clear incentives, Scotland risks missing crucial climate targets, stalling biodiversity recovery and hollowing out rural livelihoods.

Organisers also push back on the idea that farmers resist change. They point to a growing appetite across crofts, family farms and diversified enterprises to cut emissions, rebuild soils, restore habitats and shorten supply chains. What’s missing, they say, are policies and payment structures that make this transition viable for those on the ground.

What the alliance is asking for

• Redirect a greater share of the agricultural budget toward farmers and crofters delivering clear public benefits: healthy soils, clean water, thriving wildlife and resilient local food.
• Design payments that reward outcomes and practices aligned with agroecology, rather than acreage or historic entitlements, so smaller and mid-sized producers are not sidelined.
• Back locally rooted supply chains—abattoirs, markets, processing and distribution—so communities retain more value from the food they produce.
• Provide trusted advisory support and accessible pathways for all farm types to adopt regenerative methods, with training, peer learning and fair transition payments.
• Ensure social justice is central to reform, so public money supports communities and ecosystems ahead of concentrated land interests.

On the menu: practical solutions

Beyond protest, the alliance promises detailed, workable policy suggestions at the rally: from tiered payments that recognise nature-positive outcomes, to measures that stabilise incomes during change, to incentives for integrating trees and livestock, diversifying rotations, and restoring wetlands and peatlands. Organisers say these steps can boost farm resilience to extreme weather, reduce input costs, and create jobs within local food economies.

A growing movement

The Scottish Agroecology Partnership describes itself as a network representing thousands of farmers, crofters and landworkers united around a simple premise: public investment in agriculture should deliver public goods while keeping family farms and crofts viable. The coalition wants the coming reform of rural support to lock in that principle and ensure the benefits of transition are widely shared.

As the new season begins, campaigners argue there is still time to reshape policy so it accelerates, rather than delays, the shift to sustainable farming. They’re inviting anyone who cares about Scotland’s food, climate and countryside to stand with producers at Holyrood and call for a system that nourishes communities and landscapes alike.