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Call for flexible agricultural support                 22/1/12

The reformed Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) must be as flexible as possible so that the specific needs of Scotland’s farmers and crofters are catered for according to Highlands and Islands Conservative MSP Jamie McGrigor.

The reform of agricultural support will be implemented across the European Union from 2014.

Mr McGrigor also highlighted the importance of maintaining support in Scotland’s less favoured areas (LFA).

Speaking in a parliamentary debate the debate, Jamie McGrigor, who is the Scottish Conservative Environment Spokesman, said: “Getting this reform of CAP right- and getting the fairest deal possible for Scotland- is fundamental to the future of farms and crofts throughout Scotland and the communities that depend on them, especially the remote and often fragile rural and island communities in my region of the Highlands & Islands.

“ Flexibility within the reformed CAP is crucial. While most of us accept that we will be moving towards an area based single farm payment from the historic system, there must be an appropriate transitional period and one that is potentially longer than is currently envisaged, something that the Irish government is keen to achieve. It is worth pointing out that England’s move towards area based payments began in 2005 and will only be completed in 2014.

“ We also need to recognise that in any new system there will be winners and losers but the key challenge will be to achieve a flexible system whereby those that might lose most under the move to area based system- and I am talking here about key groups such as Orkney and Caithness’ beef producers and Kintyre’s dairy farmers- can be compensated by flexible alternative measures which recognise their needs and the numbers of animals they keep. And in terms of the national reserve again we need flexibility and are sympathetic to the view of the NFUS that this reserve should not be for only one year but on an on-going basis, not least to support new entrants to the farming industry. And support must be focused on active farmers.

“The future of LFA support is vitally important too and we need to come up with the most appropriate solutions for targeting support within the LFA boundary. I think all of us are aware that while the Scottish farming and crofting community are hopeful that overall levels of support will be maintained, if CAP budgets are cut due to the financial crises afflicting Europe, we must as a priority protect LFA support for our vulnerable areas.”