The Scottish Crofting Federation say that a new report on the state of upland agriculture in Scotland shows that there is little sign of recovery in livestock numbers for many of the most remote parts of the Highlands and Islands. The ‘Response from the Hills’ report was published on Wednesday (14th December) by the Scottish Agricultural College as a follow up to their 2008 report ‘Retreat from the Hills’ which revealed dramatic declines in sheep and cattle numbers in upland areas of Scotland, particularly in crofting areas.
This new research from SAC claims that during the last three years, supported by a surge in prices, “the retreat from the hills has stabilised” at national and regional levels. However, the report adds that in some localities decline has continued and, crucially, it shows that these localities tend to be in crofting areas, such as the Western Isles, Argyll and Lochaber.
