Farm loans, continued LFASS, relaxed planning and boosting forestry were key parts of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s programme for Government announced this week. The Scottish Government will also explore loans for farmers and crofters to maintain and improve sustainability and productivity.

Planning

Owner-occupiers could find it easier to gain planning permission to convert steadings and sheds into houses and commercial buildings, with draft legislation scheduled to be complete by spring 2018.

Forestry

The Scottish Government will look at investing public pension funds into woodland and forest creation. The Government is also promoting more integrated grazing with sheep and woodlands.

Industry Input

The Government’s programme for farming involves significant input from the sector, including the Agricultural Champions, Woman in Agricultural committee, Livestock Health Scotland. There is also an action plan for “Farming Opportunities for New Entrants”.

Basic Area Payment applications should become fully digitised and the Government has proposed a “secure footing” for the CAP payment system. The Less Favoured Area Scheme will continue in 2018, in line with EU rules, and next week Cabinet Secretary Fergus Ewing MSP will announce his plans to maintain direct support for farmers and crofters at current levels.

The Scottish Government reaffirmed its anti-GM position by stating they will transpose powers from the EU, which allow opting-out of cultivating future EU- approved genetically modified crops.

The First Minister also announced a new Climate Change Bill, which is set to have ambitious targets that could have an impact on agriculture.

Bovine electronic identification came one step closer, with the First Minister backing the ScotEID and mart pilot project.

Land reform

The Government will continue to implement measures set out in the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016. It will also ask the Tenant Farming Commission for suggestions to increase innovation and to encourage women and young people into the industry.

Island farmers will welcome road-equivalent tariff fares to all routes in the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services network throughout the year.

Finally, the First Minister announced that any convergence money that comes to Scotland is to “increase the CAP payment rate to active hill and upland farmers and crofters”.