Food production, climate change and biodiversity ‘vital’ in Scotland’s future agricultural support regime

Food production, climate change and biodiversity ‘vital’ in Scotland’s future agricultural support regime - Scottish Land & Estates

Fifty per cent of future farming subsidies should be ‘unconditional’ in order to maintain food security and thriving production in Scotland.

Scottish Land & Estates, the rural business organisation, today published an update to its #Route2050 ‘On Track for Rural Scotland’ strategy at the Royal Highland Show in Edinburgh. The document focuses on immediate asks during the transition period to 2025 and an outline of what rural support could look like beyond 2025.

During the transition period, SLE has asked for:

A review of the Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board (ARIOB) membership to make sure there is a broader range of experience;
Government to map clear and consistent minimum standards that carbon audit tools must adhere to;
The biodiversity assessment tool introduced more quickly to all farmers and land managers;
Reform of how the Rural Payments and Inspections Division engages with farmers and land managers;
The Scottish Government to accelerate the provision of continuous support in the form of accessible advice, knowledge sharing, and skills development;
The continuation of the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) and Capital Grant Schemes.

Mark Tennant, chairman of Scottish Land & Estates, said: “It is critical that we address equally the three key elements of food production, climate change and biodiversity in designing Scotland’s future subsidy support regime, whilst ensuring that the rural economy thrives. We acknowledge that progress has been made, however a great deal of uncertainty remains. This uncertainty is making decision-making, investment, and long-term planning incredibly difficult for Scotland’s land managers and rural businesses. We need to ensure we preserve a critical mass in Scottish farming and maintain food production and that is why 50% of support should be unconditional for active farmers to act as a stability payment. Conditional payments, including capital grant scheme funding, should build on the work of the farmer-led groups and be used to achieve policy objectives around emissions reduction, animal health, increasing productivity, improving efficiencies, the use of technology, organic conversion, and support for new entrants, including women in agriculture.”

Read the report: #Route2050 here.