The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
England ‘stealing march on Scotland post Brexit’
Landowners warn of risk that Scotland will be left with less room to shape its priorities
Scottish landowners have warned that England is stealing a march on Scotland in developing post-Brexit agricultural policy.
Speaking after submitting a response to Defra’s Health and Harmony consultation on the future of food, farming and the environment, Scottish Land and Estates (SLE) chairman Lord David Johnstone said there was now a risk that Scotland will be left with less room to shape its priorities.
“It is clear from Defra’s consultation that they are further ahead with developing future agricultural policy than we are in Scotland and that leads to a risk whereby the choices now starting to be made south of the border could leave Scotland with less room to move in shaping its own priorities,” he said.
“While SLE has recognised the direction of travel, with support being provided in return for public goods, we cannot have a situation that is implemented in England without due consideration to supporting farming on poorer quality land in remote regions of Scotland.
“There are distinctive land management systems in Scotland so any decision taken must satisfy the nature of farming in all parts of the UK.”
In its submission SLE points out that land management would have benefitted from UK and devolved administrations jointly agreeing on common frameworks and the practical issues of how these frameworks will work prior to each administration developing its own policy and support mechanisms.
SLE adds that while the current devolution settlement should be respected and maintained, farming ministers across the UK should ensure that potential differences in application of agricultural policy should not adversely impact on internal trade, threaten to curtail access for other parts of the UK to third country markets or affect the UK’s adherence to its international agreements.
Scotland’s Rural Economy Minister Fergus Ewing has said he is waiting for final reports from the National Council of Rural Advisers and the Agriculture Champions which are not expected until later this summer.