Front loading payments and carbon concerns were top of the agenda for the Scottish Crofting Federation (SCF) at the show.

The membership organisation is asking the Scottish government to give more money for the first hectares paid through government support in a bid to help smaller producers. This mirrored moves in the EU, which was looking at ways to better protect small farmers who had been feeling the squeeze in recent years.

Isle of Lewis crofter, Donald MacKinnon, said: “One of the key asks for us in the crofting community is the front loading of future support payments. The EU is looking at redistribution of payments in favour of smaller scale producers and if the Scottish Government is looking to maintain alignment with Brussel’s we should look into this as well.”

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Another of the key concerns in crofting is how carbon credits will operate and be traded in the coming years. Mr MacKinnon urged caution in what he saw was a rush to get private investment.

He said: “What will this lead to? We do not fully understand the consequences of private investment in the carbon market and we need much more discussion.

"We welcome to current process to gain British Standards Institute accreditation, but this does not remove potential unintended consequences, such as rising land values. Historically, crofting estates have been more affordable for community ownership but if values continue to climb this will make it less likely.

“I know support for projects like peatland restoration can work but there is anxiety about how private finance can play into it. We do not just need to just understand what is being paid for but also how it is being paid. We have to be able to protect crofters.”

READ MORE: Getting the direction right on future farm payments

It has been a busy few weeks for Mr MacKinnon, who has recently qualified as a reserve fireman in the Outer Hebrides. The dry weather had seen him in action with his team tackling a wildfire which had spread across ungrazed scrubland.

Luckily, the fire was unable to spread into the neighbouring fields which were being managed with livestock. He explained: “The fire was really hard to manage in the overgrown scrub, it really shows the benefit that managed livestock has on preventing the spread of wildfires.”

The chairman crofts on the west side of Lewis, where he keeps Blackface and Cheviot sheep, and previously led the SCF young crofters for many years.