The Scottish Crofting Federation (SCF) has launched an attack on NFU Scotland (NFUS) accusing the union of having a “fundamental lack of understanding of crofting”.
According to the crofters’ body, the latest NFUS Steps to Change policy paper lacks an understanding of the culture of crofting and crofting communities.
SCF chairman and Sutherland crofter Russell Smith said that, although the organisation supported some of the aspirations in the NFUS paper, more crofting-specific policy suggestions needed to be added to the proposals.
“Unfortunately, the paper comes across as a treatise on the industrial agriculture model, showing a fundamental lack of understanding of crofting and its wider benefits to crofting communities,” added Mr Smith.
“In fact, whether talking about crofting or agriculture in other parts of Scotland, there is no mention of community whatsoever.”
He said the NFUS document made no reference to new entrants or capping of payments, and said he was concerned that activity had not been defined properly. “It is appreciated that this is the first draft of this important document, so we hope that the next will use SCF post-Brexit policy as a guide for crofting matters,” added Mr Smith
Responding to the comments, NFUS president Andrew McCornick said the union was “on the front foot in building a future post-Brexit agricultural policy” for Scotland.
He said the union’s Steps to Change document had been developed following an “unprecedented level of engagement” with its membership, including 800 crofting members, in 2017.
Mr McCornick added: “It (the policy paper) seeks to set out a future policy structure with appropriate measures to serve all of Scottish agriculture regardless of sector, region, business type or tenure.”
He said the union would work with politicians at both Holyrood and Westminster, as well as all key stakeholders, in the months ahead to build a framework for future support.
Mr McCornick added: “Our Crofting, Highlands and Islands Committee (CHIC) and its new chairman Barney Macaskill will be feeding in their important take on the latest Change document and NFUS will be sharing its post-Brexit vision with the Scottish Parliament’s cross party working group on crofting later this month.”
