Task force told it must tackle ‘the climate of fear’

A call for an end to the “culture of fear” which currently exists over support payment penalties to form a key element of any new domestic policy was made at yesterday’s Agri-scot event at Ingliston.

Speaking during the NFU Scotland seminar, vice-president Martin Kennedy told rural economy secretary Fergus Ewing that the current climate of fear, caused by disproportionate penalties for minor breaches of the rules, was not only putting the health and wellbeing of farmers in jeopardy but was also stifling traditional practices such as winter finishing of sheep on arable farms.

Kennedy said that he had spoken to many farmers who claimed to have suffered physical and mental health issues over inspections – and had personal knowledge of a farming family where the stress of an inspection was believed to have been a contributing factor in a heart attack

“And a simple clerical error such as forgetting

to put a float registration number on a sheep movement document – which represented absolutely no threat to traceability – during an inspection led to a penalty which affected the entire acreage of a large arable unit.”

His call gained backing from Ewing who said that farmers shouldn’t have to operate under such conditions – and while local offices did their best with the current system, his task force on simplifying the regulations would be charged with weeding out such “ludicrous and disproportionate” penalties – which he said far outstripped any penalties he had seen in a previous life in the legal profession.

Announcing the membership of the task force, Ewing said the aim would be to introduce practical measures that could simplify rules, reduce complexity and improve public value: “However, I have been clear that this must be done in a way that does not compromise the control measures that protect the security of our food, the welfare of our animals, our environmental standards, and ultimately our ability to trade on our reputation for quality produce.”

The panel will consist of: Kirstin Williams, SAC; Jennifer Brown, SAC; David Lawrie, Fife farmer; Rory Christie, dairy farmer; Jonnie Hall, NFUS; Hamish Lean, lawyer; Gail Watt, Morton Fraser; Donald Mckinnon, Scottish Crofting Federation; Robert Fleming, beef and sheep farmer; Ann Rae Mcdonald, farmer; Sion Williams, Buccleuch Estates; and Claudia Rowse, SNH.