Scotland: National Rural Network
The interim report from the Inquiry into the Future of Agricultural Support in Scotland has been published today. Those with an interest in farming are being urged to comment on the report, bring forward new evidence, and help shape the final report from the Inquiry.
The main thrust of the report is that future agricultural support should comprise of four strands - Direct payments, a top-up fund, Rural Development Programme funding, Less Favoured Area support. The interim report has sections on global challenges, the changing European context, meeting Scotland's objectives, emerging ideas about the future of agricultural support and emerging ideas about tackling short term issues.
Inquiry chairman Brian Pack said, "This interim report is very much an Aunt Sally for stakeholders to comment on and bring forth fresh evidence to help shape the final report.
"To inform the final report - scheduled for June 2010 - I will be taking part in extensive public consultations and gathering additional evidence on the various issues flagged up in the report which my committee and I can consider."
The report focuses particularly on direct payments and top-up funds with detailed comment on rural development programme funding and LFA support reserved for the final report. The report includes a consultation questionnaire and you can also have your say by attending one of a series of public meetings taking place over coming weeks.
Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said, "The Pack Inquiry is a crucial piece of work which will help shape Scottish agriculture for years to come. The interim report is a well-thought out and well-presented report which sets out some key issues for further consultation and I have no doubt that this report will stimulate fascinating debate on the future of Scottish agricultural support. I'd like to thank the inquiry team for their unstinting commitment and effort to date.
"The volume of evidence presented to the Inquiry team so far is testament to how much importance the agricultural sector attaches to the Inquiry. I am sure that level of interest will not only continue but grow and I'd urge everyone with an interest in the future of farming to have their say during the detailed consultation phase.
"I look forward to receiving the final report in the summer and will set out the Government's full response once we have digested the Inquiry's final recommendations."
You can download the Inquiry into the Future of Agricultural Support: Interim Report from our documents library. A series of public meetings will be taking place throughout the country - you can get details in Pack Inquiry Public Meetings announced. You can get more information about the Inquiry on the Scottish Government Pack Inquiry website, which includes Brian's Blog.
Farmers urged to submit evidence to agricultural support inquiry
What do you think about the future of agricultural support in Scotland? What are your views on the ideas set out in the interim report from the Pack Inquiry? You can share your views by adding a comment to this article.
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Comments
A start, something to work
A start, something to work with and a look at how the future might be. All good, the bad is we still have to struggle along to 2014 without a proper SFP payment but I doubt we could expect anything else. What will come of it (the report) I doubt we will see anything resembling Article 68 being implemented there is no time. What I would like to see is the TUF (Top Up Fund) implemented immediately to channel support to those actively farming and ensure the administration is robust before the switch to area based payment. Rural Priorities is already underfunded and impossible to get into.