How do National Parks support their farming and crofting communities?

 

There is no additional layer of bureaucracy for farmers and crofters within National Parks. The rural payments system and land management regime are the same inside National Parks as they are outside. Both National Park authorities operate efficient and effective planning services.

We value the contribution from farmers in our National Parks and elsewhere to produce high-quality food, while addressing climate change and protecting and restoring nature.

We provide Scotland’s farmers and crofters with the most generous package of direct support in the UK - worth over £600 million in 2024-25 - and we are committed to providing direct support in the future.

National Parks support farmers and crofters within their area. For example, Cairngorms National Park Authority has provided funding to dozens of farmers over the last two years alone for habitat management, goose management, dry stone wall repairs, mob grazing, capital grants and more.

For example, Cairngorms 2030 Future Farming initiative is working with six farms within the National Park to trial changing their farming systems to a more regenerative farming model through delivering practical ‘on the ground’ improvements. Progress will be monitored through carbon audits, integrated land management plans and habitat surveys at all participant farms. The learnings from this will be rolled out to other farms across the National Park as it progresses and to the wider Highlands.