Two new “starter units” have been created for young farmers by the Scottish Government.
Rural Affairs secretary Richard Lochhead announced yesterday that the small units are on the national forest estate at Cowal and on the isle of Mull.
The farms will each be let for five years.
In addition, young farmers are being encouraged to apply for a 10 year Limited Duration Tenancy (LDT) currently being advertised for Den Farm on The Crown Estate’s Fochabers estate in Moray.
Mr Lochhead added that Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise are now working to identify land on their estates which is suitable for starter farm opportunities.
Last year Mr Lochhead established an expert group to look at how public land could be made available to young farmers to add to the 11 units which have already been created since 2012.
He said yesterday: “Even though the group has yet to submit its final report, we are now beginning to reap the rewards of its endeavours with even more starter farms and opportunities for young farmers coming onto the market.”
The expert group chairman, Henry Graham said: “Over the last few months, I’ve been very pleased with the progress made by the group on identifying what farmers of the future need in progressing their career by delivering proposals to maximise starter opportunities on publicly owned land. It has been obvious from the discussions we’ve had with new entrants and different organisations that access to land is the key requirement.
“Over the last few years, I’ve been involved in the selection panels for the new entrants on the starter farms on the National Forest Estate. It has been great to see the drive, initiative and enthusiasm of these young people but it was also very clear that even before they took over these part time starter units, they all had been taking small areas of land on seasonal lets, often quite far apart.
“There is still a little time before the report is completed but due to the cooperation of organisations such as Forest Enterprise Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Scottish Enterprise, Crown Estate, SNH and Scottish Water, a few of these smaller areas of opportunities will be advertised shortly.
“We don’t want to hold back this year’s opportunities because hopefully the growing season is not too far off and drier ground is round the corner.”