Farmland

Farmland is an important part of the natural heritage of Scotland and provides much of its wildlife habitat, landscape interest, recreational and sporting resource.   Three-quarters (5,885,000 ha) of the land of Scotland is classed as agricultural land.

Of this, 11 per cent is in arable production, 19 per cent is improved grassland and 69 per cent is rough grazing. Nine-tenths of Scotland is classed as Less Favoured Area in the European Union, comprising land of low productivity where farming is necessary to prevent depopulation.

The farmland of Scotland can be divided into four broad types: hill livestock, lowland livestock and dairy, arable cropping, and crofting.

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