Agriculture is a devolved matter right here in Scotland, so we’re on the mercy of Holyrood and the dreaded Bute Home Settlement between the SNP and the Inexperienced Occasion – one thing that fills me and plenty of others with a way of concern and trepidation.
In the end, nevertheless, there’s some progress with a brand new Scottish Agriculture Invoice, which can exchange the outdated EU scheme over the following few years.
Some particulars are rising, however there’s nonetheless an absence of readability, inflicting complications for a variety of companies I’m concerned with as an agricultural marketing consultant.
See additionally: Jack Frater – proudly owning your errors in farming results in studying
Concerning the creator
Jack Frater
Jack Frater is an agricultural marketing consultant based mostly in Galashiels within the Scottish Borders. He graduated from the Royal Agricultural College with a level in agricultural administration in 2013, having grown up on a household farm close to Alnwick.
There will probably be a give attention to environmental elements throughout the new Scottish coverage, which can hardly come as a shock, in addition to the promotion of practices resembling regenerative farming that are all effectively and good.
However a state of limbo now exists. There aren’t any ensures that farmers implementing adjustments now won’t miss out on help funds or grant funding within the subsequent few years, simply because they wished to be a step forward.
I’ve shoppers, for instance, seeking to purchase direct drills, however holding off doing so as a result of there may very well be capital funding accessible.
I’ve others not desirous to do a carbon audit as a result of they’re involved that if it seems to be too good, they are going to wrestle to indicate enhancements, and due to this fact miss out on direct help funds.
It’s turning into extremely troublesome to plan forward once we don’t actually know what we’re planning for.
Most of my skilled work is Scottish-based, however I nonetheless have a vested curiosity in what is going on south of the border. English coverage is additional down the road, even when the rollout has been problematic to say the least.
In the meantime, direct help in Scotland seems to be set to proceed till at the least 2027.
It’s marginal, however I would favor to be farming in Scotland for the following 5 years. However does anybody actually know who’s going to be higher off long run? Solutions on a postcard please…
