It is “critical” that farmers and crofters receive more information on the future of agricultural support, a Holyrood committee convener has said.
Finlay Carson, convener of the Rural Affairs Committee, says the Government must publish a draft rural support plan earlier than the planned timescale of 2025.
However, the committee backed the general principles of the upcoming Agriculture & Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill.
The legislation gives Scottish ministers the powers to change, extend or end EU common agricultural policy (CAP) legislation as it applies in Scotland.
The Bill also introduces powers for a sustainable code of practice for agriculture.
MSPs on the committee heard from 37 farmers, crofters and land managers at a roundtable event in February.
It highlighted that there are many aspects of the current system the land managers would like to change, but they wanted greater certainty about the direction of travel.
The legislation will operate as a “framework” Bill with details of support schemes being provided later.
Mr Carson told the PA news agency he believes the Bill is one of the most important pieces of legislation in the current session of the Scottish Parliament.
There were some concerns the Bill would give the Government “unfettered powers” over agricultural subsidies, he said, leading to the committee’s calls for a draft rural support plan to be published earlier.
Mr Carson, who used to be a dairy and beef farmer, said: “The Government weren’t expected to publish it, or lay it in front of Parliament, until 2025. We think that’s too late.”
The Government is bringing forward a “disproportionately high” number of framework Bills, he said, including legislation for the National Care Service and the Good Food Nation Bill.
The Galloway and West Dumfries MSP said: “That’s why it’s absolutely critical that we get the rural support plan in place, because that will put meat on the bones.”
He continued: “The flexibility offered by a framework bill is desirable so that ministers can adapt to opportunities and challenges over time, but it is vital that the powers set out in the Bill are developed in partnership with stakeholders and are subject to robust parliamentary scrutiny.
“We share the concerns we heard from stakeholders about the lack of direction, the time being taken to introduce future support schemes and the impact this is having on farmers, crofters, land managers and rural community organisations.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said the upcoming bill “aims to provide Scotland with a future framework that will support farmers and crofters to meet more of our food needs sustainably and to farm and croft with nature in mind”.
The spokesperson added: “We thank the rural affairs and islands committee for their report and are pleased that they have agreed to the general principles of the bill.
“We particularly welcome their support for our longstanding call for certainty from the UK Government on future funding.
“We will now consider the Committee’s report and our response will be published in due course.”