Experts call for clarity on agri-environment support

A group of farm wildlife experts has called on the Scottish Government to urgently clarify the future of agri-environment support.

The Scottish Farm Wildlife Advisers’ Group (FWAG) yesterday expressed concerns that there are currently no interim plans for environment support schemes as Brexit decisions are made.

The organisation said that with the last application deadline for the agri-environment climate scheme (AECS) which has been running for four years, now past, doubt hangs over future support.

Richard Lockett, chairman of SCOTFWAG, said the agri-environment schemes played a crucial role in enhancing and maintaining Scotland’s natural environment:

“They are one of the best ways we have of ensuring that farmers and land managers are incentivised and rewarded for helping deliver what the public wants and society needs.

“Whether it’s tackling diffuse pollution, managing habitats for wading birds, improving the condition of designated sites, or addressing many other environmental issues, agri-environment

0 Richard Lockett says schemes are crucial schemes have an important role to play.”

The organisation, which has 12 professionally accreditedmembersworking as independent consultants, focuses on providing agri-environment scheme advice.

Lockett said that while the current scheme was far from perfect, with plenty of room for improvement, it remained popular with farmers: “Over 2,000 farms, estates and crofts are currently in scheme agreements and demand for the scheme was still high in 2018.”

He cautioned against stop gap and interim schemes with one or twoyear lifespan:

“They create even more of a bureaucratic headache and don’t allow for any proper planning or delivery.”

Locket said SCOTTFWAG favoured another full round of agri-environment schemes, with the AECS opening again later in 2018 or early 2019, allowing farmers to apply for five-year schemes.

He said that while the complexities of Brexit made decision-making and future planning difficult, farmers, advisers, and all those interested in Scotland’s habitats and wildlife urgently needed clarity on what the future held.

But despite the difficulties, Locket stressed that Scottish FWAG was optimistic about the future of farm conservation support.

He said: “There’s clearly an appetite for these types of schemes both from the public and the people delivering them on the ground. “