Scotland’s Rural Support Plan has been hit by yet another delay, with ministers confirming it will not be published until December at the earliest — fuelling fears the long-awaited blueprint could slip into 2026.
First announced over a year ago, the plan is intended to set out a strategic vision for rural Scotland. It will cover a wide range of areas, including agriculture, marine, land reform, housing and digital connectivity, among others.
A consultation launched earlier this year sought views on nine themes and drew 424 responses. The final plan is expected to include strategic objectives, performance indicators and a framework for assessing the impact of government policies across rural communities.
Scottish Conservative shadow rural affairs secretary Tim Eagle MSP, himself a sheep farmer, said the repeated hold-ups were fuelling uncertainty across farming and rural communities.
He warned that if publication slipped into December, it would leave parliamentarians with limited time to scrutinise the proposals before implementation.
Mr Eagle said: “It’s clear the Scottish government are intent on kicking the can down the road with its Rural Support Plan, which could make or break farming businesses.
"Farmers and crofters want to see delivery, not delay, but this estimated December date raises concerns that its publication could be pushed into 2026.”
He added that delays had left farmers unable to plan ahead, creating “huge uncertainty” over how support would be delivered. MSPs, he argued, were being asked to approve legislation shifting funding from legacy schemes to new ones without knowing the long-term policy direction.
The delay comes at a time when confidence in Scottish farming is already at a low ebb, with businesses facing spiralling input costs, volatile markets and pressure to adapt to new policy frameworks.
Industry leaders have warned that the absence of clear long-term direction is stalling investment and eroding resilience across the sector. Farmers say they need clarity to plan for the future, invest in their businesses and continue delivering food, environmental and community benefits.
In a written answer to Mr Eagle, SNP agriculture minister Jim Fairlie said: “The Scottish government will continue to actively engage with our partners and our farming industry through autumn 2025 to inform the drafting of the first Rural Support Plan and to meet the requirements set out by the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 on engagement.
“The Scottish government intends to complete this process and publish the first Rural Support Plan in December 2025.”
