Policy lobby move backed

North-east farmers have given union leaders the thumbs up to lobby Holyrood and Westminster with their detailed vision for a new Scottish agricultural policy.

NFU Scotland president Martin Kennedy outlined the policy blueprint that the union believes could form the basis of a scheme expected to come into force in 2025 when he spoke to members at roadshow meetings in Perth and Inverurie.

Underpinning the union’s policy is a proposal for support for active farmers and crofters to be “re-coupled” with areabased payments to ensure the industry retains a critical mass and puts food production ahead of all other priorities.

The policy he outlined envisages three tiers of support. The first is an underpinning “stability” payment which would be worth 50% of income, with other support split between “conditionality” – noncompetitive payments for measures taken to tackle climate change, biodiversity and efficiency, for instance – and thirdly, “additionality” payments which would be competitive for those who wanted to go “above and beyond” into projects such as peatland restoration or forestry.

However, while the union may have the full backing of the farmers who attended the Thainstone meeting, farmers at the Perth event expressed concern that the government might not agree to the proposals and no alternative plan has been forthcoming

Even if the union’s proposal wins a mandate from members, NFU Scotland will still need to convince the Scottish Government it’s the right approach, and persuade Westminster to pay for it.

Addressing a packed room of farmers at Thainstone, Mr Kennedy said the union was determined Scottish producers would not be subjected to the “car crash” policy agreed south of the border, and while the Scottish Government has committed to 50% of total support to Scottish farming going in direct payments in future, he admitted he was having difficulty getting Treasury officials to understand the different approaches the devolved governments are taking.

“This is a defining moment for Scottish agriculture,” he said.

“We must use all our influence now, in the lead up to the Scottish Government’s Agriculture Bill in 2023.”

THE WAY FORWARD: Union president Martin Kennedy outlined their new policy at meetings in Inverurie and Perth.