Spelman to visit NFUS President on farm in New Year
2012 will be vital for all those involved in shaping the next CAP and will see NFU Scotland continue its work at home and abroad as it works on the policy’s broad political dimension, its detail and engages with its members on all these aspects.
In the next 12 months, the next CAP’s final budget will be agreed and revised proposals are expected from the EU Commission following consultation with the EU Parliament and EU Council.
NFU Scotland’s President, Nigel Miller said:
“NFU Scotland will conduct its work on the next CAP around three major themes: firstly we shall continue to be deeply involved at an EU-level on the overall direction of the policy; second, we shall be delving into the current and emerging proposals to ensure that we interpret correctly the finer details of issues such as the definition of an active farmer, permanent pasture and three-crop rotation; third we shall engage with our members in all sectors and across the whole of Scotland to listen to their thoughts on the Basic Payment Scheme and how to divide Scotland for administrative purposes. It is crucial that we support our active farmers.
“In addition, we shall study closely the best way of using the proposals’ voluntary components, for example, payments for those farming in Areas of Natural Constraint and coupled payments. These may provide options that could help keep many of our members’ businesses on a sure footing.
“Given the diversity of Scotland’s land types and farming systems, it is apparent that we shall need to build on base area payments in some way; a point clearly recognised by Brian Pack in his report on future support for agriculture in Scotland.
“There will be great challenges along the way, but it is vital that our politicians and ourselves are in there fighting for what’s important to Scottish agriculture. We must ensure that the next CAP will provide enough flexibility to suit Scotland’s particular needs without being too bureaucratic and that support for active farmers in the future is ensured.
“The only way to tackle this is to consider all the issues, in full, to engage with our members and to keep in constant contact with our colleagues in Holyrood, Brussels and London. It is on this final aspect that I shall be pleased to welcome Defra Secretary of State, Caroline Spelman to my farm at Stow on Thursday 12 January, at which we shall have the perfect opportunity to discuss many of the issues which are particular to Scotland.”
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