Vital information surrounding the Common Agricultural Policy (Cap) is once more failing to be communicated to the masses.
Members of the Scottish agricultural press have repeatedly raised concerns with government over its failure to alert us of changes to scheme rules or deadlines.
My colleagues and I have told government officials that we will quite happily publicise Cap updates to farmers through our newspapers and websites.
Our pleas have clearly fallen on deaf ears, and my patience is wearing thin.
MSPs gathered this week to take evidence from farmers and land agents over the Rural Payments and Services system.
After hearing the concerns, SNP MSP Rob Gibson wrote a strong-worded letter to Farm Minister Richard Lochhead with a list of demands including an extension to the June 12 deadline for the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS).
Quite promptly afterwards David Stewart MSP issued a press release backing the calls for an extension to the AECS deadline.
As is the fashion, I then contacted the Scottish Government press office to ask whether or not the AECS deadline would be extended.
The response I received on Thursday said: “Yesterday the environment minister announced extra time to submit documentation in support of Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) applications. Local area offices will now accept supporting documentation, such as the farm environment assessments, until June 30, provided the application has been made online by the existing deadline of June 12. We expect most of the draft applications to be submitted by this date and it will provide more time to gather the required information.”
I have double and tripled checked my e-mails, voicemail and the government website – no release was issued to announce this information.
When I told the government press officer of my concerns, he apologised and said the announcement was on the Scottish Parliament website.
Surely any changes to deadlines or scheme guidance should be communicated with the press so we can tell you, our readers.
This obviously isn’t the train of thought shared by the government.
This is particularly frustrating as farmers and agents keep telling me they are struggling to complete the Single Application Form by June 15 and the AECS form by June 12.
Any extra time to submit these forms is welcome news and being told about it would certainly relieve some pressure on-farm.
Earlier this year, I wrote a similar comment about the fact a new greening guidance booklet had been published on the government’s website but none of the agri-press had been told about it.
On March 7, I wrote: “Surely Richard Lochhead and his team know that farmers aren’t sitting glued to their computer screens 24 hours a day, and as a result they are unlikely to notice new updates to guidance appearing out of the blue.”
It would appear nothing has changed.
I don’t know if the cause is ignorance or poor organisation, but the fact of the matter is that communication of the Cap reform has been, and remains, a shambles.
Mr Lochhead, I say once more, get your house in order.