As Scottish farmers and landowners navigate mounting legal, financial and environmental pressures, strong legal foundations are more important than ever.
To say that a lot is asked of Scottish agriculture - and our entire rural economy - is the most significant of understatements.
In an uncertain world, we are asking farmers and landowners to ensure food security while they themselves manage the impact of complex and unpredictable geopolitics and costs on their businesses.
At the same time, they are being challenged to mitigate the impacts of climate change while protecting nature.
All the while, the expectation is there that all of this can be achieved while navigating ongoing legislative change on the scale that few other sectors see - from land reform and inheritance tax, to the environment and key changes to support schemes.
The Scottish Agricultural Census shows that almost 70,000 people work in Scottish agriculture - with the Scottish Government estimating that the national total incoming from farming is about £1.5 billion.
The industry’s importance to the economy and environment was highlighted during the Scottish Parliament election campaign.
With a new Government now in place at Holyrood, all of us who advise farmers and landowners await with interest to see how public policy evolves over the next five years.
Yet amid the uncertainty with which the sector contends - there are changes which we know are happening and which highlight the importance of ensuring all agricultural enterprises have a solid legal foundation.
The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2025 continues to drive change as secondary legislation and implementation comes into play.
Among the measures coming over the horizon is the release of a model lease from Scottish Ministers. This is designed for letting land so that it can be used - whether wholly or partly - for an environmental purpose.
Long-term investments around natural capital will continue to play a part in agriculture, whether through forestry, carbon capture, renewable energy, wildlife management or biodiversity initiatives.
While these can provide valuable income streams in the right circumstances, they can be complex to establish and manage, with careful consideration of fine details - including any implications for let land - required.
With more than half of farms in Scotland now reported to have at least one diversification, natural capital is just part of a bigger picture of the ways in which farmers and landowners are working to create more financial security.
Agritourism and farm shops, for example, continue to be growing influences.
Before embarking on a diversification, however, it’s important to ensure you have all the appropriate permissions in place, how new projects interact with practical farming - and that tenants have agreed changes to land use with their landlord.
Landlords are also wise not to lose sight of the introduction of the Repairing Standard for residential properties on agricultural leases - coming into force next year, in many cases requiring investment in properties.
Then there are the ongoing issues and planning surrounding succession and Inheritance Tax.
While financial thresholds have changed, the UK Government’s tax regime now in force - 100% relief on the first £2.5m of combined agricultural and business property, then 50% relief on amounts over £2.5m - continues to cause challenges for many farming and land-owning families.
Changes around the likes of business structure and Wills require careful - and tailored - legal and financial advice to ensure they meet the specific circumstances of your enterprise and family as best as is possible.
In the background to all of this, of course, are the ongoing changes to agricultural support packages. Weighting across schemes will continue to tilt towards greater environmental elements over the next five years, which farmers and crofters are being urged to continue budgeting towards through their farm plans.
There are certainly no shortage of talking points as the agricultural community gathers at shows this summer, and our team will be out-and-about across the country joining them.
