The Scottish Land Matching Service (SLMS) was established in October 2019 in response to industry concerns about the lack of opportunities to enter the industry. The SLMS supports the development of joint ventures between land holders (who are typically older and aiming to reduce their direct agricultural activities) and land seekers (who are typically younger and seeking to become farmers in their own right). This review was undertaken to assess the outcomes and orientation of the service, with a view to establishing the foundations for a formal evaluation in future. The report presents a review of the Scottish Land Matching Service, contextualising progress to date against land matching services elsewhere in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland and providing feedback from participants. A summary infographic and a slidedeck of key findings are also provided. The report and associated files are also available at: https://sefari.scot/document/scottish-land-matching-service-review-report Suggested citation: Sutherland, L-A and Corbett, R. (2023). Scottish Land Matching Service: Progress Review. James Hutton Institute, pp30. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.8045272

This report was funded by the Rural, Environment Science and Analytical Services Division of the Scottish Government Underpinning National Capacity Support to Policy Function. The content of this report does not reflect the official opinion of the Scottish Government. Responsibility for the information and views expressed therein lies entirely with the author(s).