Agriculture Bill is latest step on post-brexit road
With little in the way of fanfare, the Scottish Agriculture Bill was passed at Holyrood this week, paving the way for farm support and policy development to continue in the post-brexit period.
The bill, which will create powers that enable Scottish ministers to ensure the common agricultur - al policy( CAP) can continue beyond this year, as well as make much-needed improvements and simplifications to the scheme after the UK leaves the EU, was welcomed byNFU Scotland as a“key step towards p ost-brexit sta - bility”.
The Agriculture (Retained EU Law and Data) (Scotland) Bill passed Stage 3 on Wednesday, following a debate in the Scottish Parliament.
Speaking after the green light had been given by Parliament, ru ra le cono my secretary Fergus Ewing said it would pro - vide the legal framework to streamline and simplify farm policy while free - ing up resources to pilot and test activities likely to feature in a future farming and rural support policy beyond 2024.
“The ongoing uncertainty of Brexit and the impact of coronavirus (Covid-19) show how important it is to give our farmers and crofters financial stability in the next few years ,” said Ewing. “This bill is the first step to ensure that we secure the ability to continue to operate CAP schemes from 2021 – this includes the less favoured area support scheme, knowledge transfer and innovation and small farmers grant scheme.”
E wing said that it was his intention to start making simplifications and improvements in 2021– including tackling penalties and inspections.
And a spokesperson said that work was underway on those proposals – including a possible review of greening requirements – and regulations would be laid later this year.
E wing also stressed that financial support for those farming and crofting in the country’ s fragile and remote areas was a priority for the Scottish Government – and despite recent cuts to payments, it was confirmed that he would ensure that in 2020 support for the hills and uplands would be made at a level equivalent to 100 per cent of LFASS payments.
But the minister made it plain that the UK government needed to “provide a clear statement” on future
funding for all CAP Pillar 2 schemes to allow his administration to plan for those schemes in 2021– including LFASS.
NFU Scotland president Andrew Mccornick said the passing of the bill was an important step towards delivering as table platform for Scottish, food and farming as it emerged from the C ovid -19 pandemic – and prepared for departure from the Euro - pean Union.
“The bill provides much needed continuity and certainty. More importantly, it also establishes the necessary legal basis to modify and improve how farming and crofting are supported in Scotland.”
But he warned that the powers to simplify and improve farm po licy should be used to best effect:
“The transition period to 2024 and the work of the farming and food production future policy group, created last year and expected to report this autumn, will help define the direction of travel for future policy.”