Union criticised by tenants’ body

The Scottish Tenant Farmers’ Association (STFA) has accused the NFUS of “pandering to a vocal minority of landowning members”.

The tenants’ body hit out after a meeting last week in Thainstone when union members pledged to mount a lastditch attempt to secure changes in the Land Reform Bill.

Farmers attending the meeting expressed anger over proposals to allow secure tenants to sell on their tenancies as secure tenancies – a move which has been backed by the STFA – and some accused the Government of “only listening to the radicals”.

The STFA said the NFUS was unlikely to influence changes to the upcoming Land Reform Bill and its plans would divide the union.

An STFA spokesman said: “Time and time again, NFUS leaders have been urged to represent the views of its tenant farming members but the voice of tenant farmers has been suppressed.

“The letter to the RACCE committee (Holyrood’s rural affairs committee) by several high-profile and well-respected tenant farming members is symptomatic of the frustration felt by those who would also take issue that NFUS has fully consulted with members.”

He questioned union leaders’ knowledge and depth of understanding of tenancy issues and said, if properly understood, the Government’s assignation proposal would be used to “create a new dynamic in the currently stagnating tenanted sector”.

An NFUS spokeswoman said the union was not looking to amend the assignation proposals, but its views on the issue remained unchanged.

“NFU Scotland has consulted widely with members regarding this s.79 assignation amendment (assignation proposal).

“In reaching a conclusion, NFU Scotland was unable to support the proposal as tabled as it felt a balance was best achieved by the original proposal from the Agricultural Holdings Legislation Review Group (AHLRG),” she said.

“NFU Scotland supported the AHLRG recommended period of assignation to 35year tenancy as an appropriate balance of interests.”

Time and time again, NFUS leaders have been urged to represent the views of its tenant farming members . . .

STFA SPOKESMAN