Agriculture champions set out post-Brexit vision

FUTURE: Agri-champions’ vision of a post-Brexit strategy is backed by NFUS

Scottish farming will have to become more professional, efficient, productive and confident if it is going to cope with the “transformative” change that will face the sector in the wake of Brexit.

This need for a fundamental shift of mindset is core to the initial findings of the working group which has been tasked with advising the Scottish Government on a future farming strategy.

The four “agriculture champions”, who were appointed in January, yesterday delivered their forthright interim discussion document to an audience of industry stakeholders at Battleby.

The report argues that Scottish farming needs to earn the right to public-funded support and it calls for the public to be better informed about the role of farming and its challenges through a long-term communications campaign.

A requirement for enhanced training, leadership programmes and improved integration of the supply chain are other key messages.

The interim findings broadly mirror the farmers’ union’s Change document in emphasising that the basis for future support will shift and greater environmental benefits will be required of the industry.

It states: “There must be in our future strategy a strong theme of making optimal use of our natural capital for economic as well as environmental reasons.

“Human nature means that we all prefer carrots to sticks where possible, and we certainly envisage a major role for support and encouragement, but an underlying layer of regulation is also bound to be needed.”

Ironically, for a paper that is looking at post-Brexit policy, the report points out that new Scottish policy should be developed while keeping a close eye on the way Europe’s CAP is developing in order to fall into line with regulations and remain competitive.

NFU Scotland president Andrew McCornick said the union was further down the road with its own discussion paper and he called on the champions to bring forward the publication of their report – which is expected in May – in order to influence Defra thinking.

“If the Government works in partnership with the industry, I am certain we can get the right agricultural policy and the right support package that will enable Scottish farming to thrive and grow,” he said.

“For the Scottish economy, the ambitious prize is the doubling of our food and drinks sector by 2030.”

Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing responded to the interim findings by emphasising that it was vital to secure Westminster funding in order to continue to support the industry.

He said: “The champions rightly identify the concept of public value underpinning all the strategic themes set out in the report.”

The group has called for feedback from stakeholders by the end of the year.

Picture: Getty Images. The four “agricultural champions” argue that a fundamental shift of mindset is needed within the farming industry post-Brexit, and that farmers will have to earn the right to public-funded support.