21.This section lists a number of matters to which the Scottish Ministers must have regard to when preparing the plan. This includes:
the key objectives set out in section 1,
the proposals and policies contained in the climate change plan, produced under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, so far as those proposals and polices relate to agriculture, forestry and rural land,
various other statutory duties relating to agriculture, forestry, rural land use, biodiversity or the environment,
changes in the EU which may be relevant to the strategic priorities or approach to support for the plan period,
the desirability of operating in line with fair work principles(5),
the objectives set out in a plan produced under the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022,
the need for sustainable food systems and supply chains in delivering food security, and
the benefits of a diverse and resilient agricultural sector, specifying in particular cohorts more greatly impacted by higher input to output costs and constrained due to distance to market and geography, including small producers, tenant farmers, crofters and agricultural co-operative societies.
The ‘fair work principles’ are not defined in the Act, but relate to the fair work policies and practices that are published by the Scottish Government.