The committee was keen to hear more from those whose daily lives and livelihoods will be impacted most by the legislation – which represents the Scottish government’s ‘vision for agriculture’, to transform farming and food production in Scotland and to make it a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture.

In particular, the committee wanted to capture the experiences, concerns and expectations of a spread of stakeholders including crofters, farmers, tenant farmers, community development representatives and integrated land management specialists, through a day of reflection and discussion.

Information collated from the event will influence the questions put to Mairi Gougeon, who is due to give evidence to the committee tomorrow. It will also feed directly into the recommendations the committee makes at the end of its’ Stage 1 scrutiny.

Speaking at the event, committee convener Finlay Carson MSP said: “No voice is more important than whose daily lives and livelihoods will be most impacted by this legislation and that is what today was all about – hearing individuals’ experiences and concerns and making sure that they are reflected in the legislation put before Parliament for approval.

“There has been a fantastic exchange of views here today with discussion and reflection at the heart of it all. We are now looking forward to being able to question the Cabinet Secretary on Wednesday, with all these important insights at the forefront of our thinking.”