NFU Scotland president Nigel Miller last night warned farmers could be left disadvantaged unless the Scottish Government shifts the design of the new Common Agricultural Policy (Cap) to production rather than administrative ease.
Writing on his blog, Mr Miller warned many farmers could be left disadvantaged if the government continued with plans to design a new Cap to fit a computer system.
He instead called on the government to look to the Irish model for inspiration, where the focus is very much on production.
“France has modelled its new Cap to support livestock farms, England has designed a system to protect the environment and biodiversity. Ireland has created a Cap model to drive production and technology. Scotland, however, has broken the mould and designed the new Cap to fit a computer system,” said Mr Miller.
He warned this approach, although likely to “smooth and ease the administrative challenge of change”, would do little to protect farm output, jobs and the wider economy.
“The Irish have protected their direct support budget by minimising transfers to pillar two (modulation) and utilising pillar two to top up the funding of the beef cow coupled support,” said Mr Miller.
“They have protected farm payments from rapid or extreme change by using an Irish tunnel transition system. There are plans to retain production through coupled support both for beef cows and hill ewes.”
This, said Mr Miller, was also backed up by Less Favoured Area payments and a £43million rural development package to drive data recording, efficiency, welfare and quality within their herds.
“If farming, food and drink really is a part of Scotland’s future, the option to inject new infrastructure, innovation, carbon efficiency and quality through pillar two must be grasped even if that means scaling down forestry targets,” said Mr Miller.
“The Scottish Government has a little over thirty days left to move the focus of Scotland’s Cap reform from the computer system and the ease of administration back to farming.
“It is possible to close the gaps in support and provide incentives to develop businesses. That change in direction is important throughout Scotland’s farming community.”
Scots farm minister Richard Lochhead last night said: “We have recently published consultations on the new CAP and are seeking the views of farmers and industry professionals to ensure the right support is on offer, and the process is streamlined and simplified so farmers understand what they need to do.
“A move to an improved online service is one of the ways we are making the new CAP as accessible as possible.”