Dave Thompson MSP

Dave Thompson MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch welcomed the Rural Affairs committee (RACCE) letter to the Scottish Government urging the retention of the Crofting Counties Agricultural Grants Scheme (CCAGS) which is so essential to crofters in his constituency.

The letter specifies that the  allocation of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments to Scotland’s farmers and crofters should be distributed more fairly and additional support is needed for hill farmers according to the  Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee  (RACCE).

In a letter to the Scottish Government on the issue, the Committee, on which Dave sits, has called for the establishment of three payments regions in Scotland, if an increase in coupled payments targeted at hill farmers is not possible, in order to ensure that farming continues to be sustainable in the most challenging parts of the country.

The Committee recommends to the Scottish Government that it retains the current Crofting Counties Agricultural Grants Scheme for crofts only and considers a separate Scotland wide small farm scheme. MSPs are also recommending that the Crofting Counties Agricultural Grants Scheme budget is kept at least at the current level and welcomes a new appropriate budget for the small farms support scheme.

The Committee also heard concerns that the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme (LFASS) may not be achieving the desired outcomes and is recommending that the transition to an Area of Natural Constraint (ANC) scheme takes place as soon as possible.

Dave said, “I welcome this letter, something I fought hard for on the Committee, which urges the retention of CCAGS, and also argues for a quick transition to the more favourable Area of Natural Constraint (ANS).

Dave went on, “I also welcome the consideration of hill farmers in the letter, especially if a coupled scheme can be made to work.

The letter stresses the need for farming and crofting to become greener and more sustainable and recommends that a simple carbon audit be carried out by every farmer and crofter in receipt of CAP funding within this period of the policy.

The Committee is also calling on the UK Government’s review of the allocation of CAP funding across the UK to be independently led, take place by 2017 and for any changes agreed to be implemented before 2020 where practicable.

Note:

The Committee’s letter was published on 09 May http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/CurrentCommittees/73538.aspx