Agriculture - national test programme: partial business and regulatory impact assessment

Scottish Firms Impact Test

As previously described in the Consultation section, the National Test Programme should be viewed as part of the ongoing co-design and participative consultation process with businesses, rather than the culmination of previous engagement. Its development has been heavily informed by the views of businesses presented through the Farmer Led Group reports and recommendations, the public consultation, and the input of the ARIOB. As the name suggests, the Test Programme will also help the Scottish Government to test the impact of the actions and requirements of the two tracks on businesses, as part of the development process for the new Scottish Agriculture Bill and the full future support framework. Further engagement with businesses will take place as part of the monitoring and evaluation of this Test Programme.

It is unlikely to have any impact on international trade and investment, as participation in the Programme is voluntary and only entails farmers, crofters and land managers being encouraged and supported to begin establishing their own baseline for climate change and biodiversity metrics, and testing of more involved actions that will establish a robust method through which farmers, crofters and land managers can deliver the benefits to climate and nature. It is therefore not likely to have any impact on production levels.