SCF urges revision of payments regime

The Scottish Crofting Federation (SCF) has emphasised in its response to the government’s Stability and Simplicity consultation that change is urgently needed in the agricultural and rural development payments regime to get a fair deal for crofters.

‘Certainty is more important than stability,’ said Russell Smith, chairman of the SCF.

‘Why emphasise stability when we can take the opportunity to improve the system? Many of the issues raised in this consultation are relevant whether there is a transition period or not, but are imperative due to the uncertainties about the UK withdrawal.

‘The opportunity to consider how agriculture and rural development are currently supported in Scotland and how they will be in future is a very useful exercise. It is an opportunity to rebalance how the system works for public good, to target resources to where they most benefit sustainable food production, environmental maintenance and the wellbeing of rural communities.’

Mr Smith added: ‘The current system urgently needs revision. It was announced only this week that the New Entrants Capital Grants Scheme has been extremely successful – yet is to be discontinued.

‘New entrants are the lifeblood of crofting and farming, and we want to see the reinstatement of a Crofting New Entrants Scheme, a workable arrangement to tackle land abandonment by getting unused crofts working again under new entrants.

‘The Less Favoured Area Support Scheme has also been used to pay higher rates to farmers on better quality land within the designated areas.

‘This is clearly not the intention of the scheme, but, despite having been criticised by bodies such as the European Commission, this mechanism has continued and will continue, in the name of stability.’