The Scottish Government has missed a crucial opportunity to provide farmers and land managers with essential details concerning future support arrangements says the rural business organisation, Scottish Land & Estates (SLE).
Responding to the government’s Agriculture Bill consultation, which closed on Tuesday this week, SLE said its members had been left with conjecture and an information void rather than the details they require to enable them to plan ahead.
Echoing the “lack of clarity” themes expressed by other farming and farm business bodies in recent weeks, SLE also voiced concerns about the principle of tenants taking part in environmental schemes and payments.
“The consultation does not seem to consider or analyse what is currently possible within existing leases,” said Stephen Young, head of policy at SLE.
“We must make sure that we are making full use of existing provisions and providing guidance if needed before creating further legislation which may not be required.
“Land management is complex, and decisions cannot be made in isolation.”
On the broader point of the rural sector’s role in combatting climate change, however, Mr Young said that, with the right support, Scotland’s land can play its full part in fighting climate change, restoring nature and producing food, all in accord with each other.
‘More clarity needed’ on Agriculture Bill
“Land managers are ready to move at pace,” he added, “once we know what government believes will constitute success – and how that success will be measured.”
Commenting on other aspects of the consultation, SLE expressed its general support for the proposed four-tier approach to direct and indirect payments, albeit with some concern about how easy the system will be to understand and administer.
It also questioned whether the planned budget will be sufficient to meet the multitude of requirements that will be placed on it.
“We have consistently said there needs to be a base level of support, with 50% of payments made to support active farming businesses, and we’re pleased by that plan,” said SLE.
Change needed to enable a bright future for Scottish farming and land management can be delivered by new agriculture legislation – but a significant lack of detail needs to be addressed rapidly by government.
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— ScottishLand&Estates (@ScotLandEstates) December 6, 2022
“More clarity is needed on the detail within the various tiers of support, however.
“We also want to see grants to help investment in long-term climate and biodiversity-friendly projects as well as tools put in place that can measure existing and future biodiversity and carbon outcomes.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “Our consultation on proposals for a new Agriculture Bill closed on Monday 5 December 2022 and we’d like to thank everyone that participated.
“All responses will be reviewed, and an analysis will be published in 2023.”
Conversation