Scottish Land Matching Service
Matching service that identifies people who are looking to get into agriculture, with those who either have land available or who are looking to contract farm or share farm as an opportunity.
Show MoreThis group is looking to scope out the potential for a land matching service in Scotland. The service already exists in England, Wales, Ireland and Northern Ireland, successfully providing a link between potential new entrants looking for land and landowners who are looking to either let their land or enter into a joint venture or contract farming agreement.
There are legislative issues which make letting land unattractive to land owners as well as a plethora of models and structures which can seem daunting. A land matching service would set out options for land owners and provide advice on the best way to encourage a new entrant. Similarly for a new entrant there is a need for clear, unbiased advice on how to go about entering the industry.
Currently there is no fully independent body offering this service in Scotland. There are bodies such as the Farm Advisory Service, NFUS, James Hutton Institute, Scottish Land Commission, commercial consultants and Scottish Association of Young Farmers who have an interest and are doing some work to seek a solution. However, this is fragmented and there is potential for conflicting advice and views, making it harder for landowners and new entrants to make an informed choice. By creating a single service, each group could feed in their knowledge and create a service to aid all involved.