National Sheep Association (NSA) Scotland has written to the Scottish Government to set out its key priorities for sheep farming and rural communities as policy decisions are taken ahead of the 2026 election.

In the open letter sent to Jim Fairlie MSP, NSA Scotland stresses the critical importance of continued, ring-fenced multi-year farm support, calling for funding to increase at least in line with uplifts to the UK Treasury block grant. The organisation says guaranteed, long-term support is essential to underpin business confidence as agriculture continues through a period of change.

Concerns were also raised about the future of the Sea Eagle Management Scheme that aims to support farmers and crofters affected by sea eagle predation on livestock.

NSA Scotland welcomes the continuation of enhanced shepherding initiatives as part of the scheme but warns practical and economic realities cannot be ignored. Labour shortages and the long-term cost-effectiveness of the scheme, NSA believes affect its long term viability and notes that shepherding could have wider environmental value if integrated into monitoring and biodiversity programmes. NSA Scotland emphasises that, where all other reasonable options have been exhausted, lethal control may be required in isolated cases to protect the viability of businesses affected by persistent predation.

In the letter NSA highlights the ongoing importance of Less Favoured Area (LFA) and Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme (SUSSS) payments in maintaining sheep farming across Scotland’s marginal land. It also calls for greater transparency around the £21 million Farming and Food Infrastructure Scheme (FFIS), stating that while the 100% grant rate may have been generous, it proved transformative for some businesses and generated valuable learning for future schemes.

NSA Scotland Chair Peter Myles says: “It is important to remember that that the Scottish national flock continues to contract due to economic pressures, land use change and predation. Projections suggest UK sheep meat production could fall short by 37,000 tonnes by 2030 if current trends continue. With markets currently strong, NSA Scotland believes now is the time to invest, grow domestic consumption and exports, and increase, rather than reduce, sheep numbers, particularly on marginal land where grazing remains the most effective land use.”

Additional pressures facing the sheep sector including inheritance tax changes due in April that could threaten farm succession and proposed Food Standards Agency charging reforms that could jeopardise the future of smaller abattoirs were also highlighted in the letter. NSA Scotland considers that the loss of local processing capacity would have serious implications for Scottish producers and local supply chains.

Mr Myles concludes: “This new year presents an opportunity for leadership and long-term vision for Scotland’s rural economy. Sheep farming plays a vital role in food production, land management and rural livelihoods, and we are keen to work constructively with government to ensure the sector remains a cornerstone of Scotland’s prosperity.”

A full version of the letter sent to Jim Fairlie MSP can be found on the NSA Scotland website here.