Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy Fergus Ewing came under criticism from NFU Scotland this week for using the convergence cash to plug the shortfall in the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme (LFASS) budget.
Speaking at Agri Scot, Ewing said “I am no a magician. I cannot get extra money which is taken away from health and education.”
He said the success in £160m of convergence cash coming from Westminster to the Scottish Government “gives us a chance.” The Government plans to continue with the 20% cut in LFASS this coming year which will be followed by an another significant cut in 2021. However, convergence money is to be targeted to upland and hill farmers and crofters so that they are no worse off.
NFUS president Andrew McCornick said: “I don’t think LFASS money should have come from this budget. The union fundamentally disagrees on this. This money is with Scottish Government somewhere.”
The union believes the convergence money should be spent through basic area payments. They argue that at the start of the current CAP round LFASS was committed to by the Scottish Government at full value.
Ewing did state that the convergence payments will not require filling in a form with payments starting in March. He also mentioned that capping was still being considered.
Looking forward, the Government has also committed to replacement for LFASS over the next two years and plans to review crofting grants.
Colin Ferguson, who chairs the union’s next generation committee, asked the Minister about planting trees on prime agricultural land, saying they were: “Causing things akin to the highland clearances.”
Ewing said: “There are appropriate places and prime agricultural land, generally speaking, is not where we should be planting.”
But he did not back down on the Government’s ambitious planting targets and explained there were plans to offer bridging loans for new forestry to help with set up and planting costs.
Beef farmer Adrian Ivory asked a question about the beef inefficiency scheme and the delay in getting information to farmers about the scheme. Ewing was unable to provide a date but stated that information would be produced shortly.
There was also discussion on future farm support priorities after 2024. The Scottish Farming Minister explained that currently there were “over 20 support schemes – too many and too complicated”. He wants to see a replacement for LFASS to support farmers in remote and rural areas, support productive farming and tackle climate change.
Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy Fergus Ewing came under criticism from NFU Scotland this week for using the convergence cash to plug the shortfall in the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme (LFASS) budget.
Speaking at Agri Scot, Ewing said “I am no a magician. I cannot get extra money which is taken away from health and education.”
He said the success in £160m of convergence cash coming from Westminster to the Scottish Government “gives us a chance.” The Government plans to continue with the 20% cut in LFASS this coming year which will be followed by an another significant cut in 2021. However, convergence money is to be targeted to upland and hill farmers and crofters so that they are no worse off.
NFUS president Andrew McCornick said: “I don’t think LFASS money should have come from this budget. The union fundamentally disagrees on this. This money is with Scottish Government somewhere.”
The union believes the convergence money should be spent through basic area payments. They argue that at the start of the current CAP round LFASS was committed to by the Scottish Government at full value.
Ewing did state that the convergence payments will not require filling in a form with payments starting in March. He also mentioned that capping was still being considered.
Looking forward, the Government has also committed to replacement for LFASS over the next two years and plans to review crofting grants.
Colin Ferguson, who chairs the union’s next generation committee, asked the Minister about planting trees on prime agricultural land, saying they were: “Causing things akin to the highland clearances.”
Ewing said: “There are appropriate places and prime agricultural land, generally speaking, is not where we should be planting.”
But he did not back down on the Government’s ambitious planting targets and explained there were plans to offer bridging loans for new forestry to help with set up and planting costs.
Beef farmer Adrian Ivory asked a question about the beef inefficiency scheme and the delay in getting information to farmers about the scheme. Ewing was unable to provide a date but stated that information would be produced shortly.
There was also discussion on future farm support priorities after 2024. The Scottish Farming Minister explained that currently there were “over 20 support schemes – too many and too complicated”. He wants to see a replacement for LFASS to support farmers in remote and rural areas, support productive farming and tackle climate change.
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