The Scottish government has come under heavy criticism for record tree plantation approvals and increased grant rates, while upland beef farmers continue to struggle with falling beef cattle numbers and stagnant support rates.

Scottish Beef Association chair, Paul Ross, said, “The actions of the Scottish government demonstrate there is truth to suspicions they are anti-beef. No doubt in part due to the relationship with the Greens.

“A few years ago, there were concerns of an active drive to reduce beef cattle, and now we can see the policies are backing up the mission.

READ MORE | Scottish farmers frustrated with woodland expansion

“It is a slap in the face for farmers to increase grant rates for planting and earmark record areas of land for trees, while lifeline payments like the beef calf scheme remain stagnant. Our costs have increased way above inflation, yet support rates remain fixed. If they can throw money at trees, why not boost support for farmers?

“Worryingly, the agri-environment measures that deliver for climate change and biodiversity are becoming less and less attractive. Again, the payment rates are not rising with costs, so farmers are finding them more appealing. It looks like they are trying to cover the country in trees, but we cannot eat trees.”

Figures published at the Woodland Creation Summit in Perthshire show that Scottish Forestry approved 13,111 ha worth of new woodland creation schemes so far this year, making it the highest number recorded this century.

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon who chaired the summit said it aims to act as a catalyst to boosting woodland creation rates further in Scotland. The official plan from the Scottish government is to increase planting rates by another 4889 hectares so 18,000 hectares of woodland will be created annually by 2025. At this rate, an area the size of South Lanarkshire would be planted every ten years.

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: "Scotland faces the most challenging budget settlement since devolution due to sustained high inflation following the mini budget, a UK Government autumn statement that failed to deliver the investment needed in Scotland's public services and of course Brexit – which has damaged our rural industries.

“We understand the pressures facing our farmers and crofters and that’s why, unlike in England, I am committed to maintaining direct payments and supporting our nation’s producers. This year we started payments in September, earlier than ever, to provide our farming sector with much-needed financial security. In the coming year, we will pay Scottish farmers and crofters £550 million.

“Whilst the key policy levers remain with the UK Government, earlier this year we tripled our Fuel Insecurity Fund to £30 million to support even more people facing unprecedented rises in the cost of energy. We also announced a further £1 million, on top of a previous £1.4 million allocation, to help islanders facing high fuel, food, and energy costs.

“We have been clear that the funds deferred from the agricultural budget will come back to the portfolio in future years. The funding is ringfenced which means it has to be returned, and the Deputy First Minister has written to the NFUS President to reiterate this.”

Recent measures to boost trees planted include a 20% inflationary rise in grants for smaller schemes, improvements to encourage riparian and agroforestry planting, £1 million for rainforest conservation, and a tripling of grant support for bracken control.

Natural regeneration has also received a major boost with the grant payments to encourage this being doubled across the whole of Scotland. The Scottish total beef cow numbers were recorded as down 3.5% year on year in June 2023, which was a fall of 7% in 2018 and 11.7% in 2013.