Reform of Europe’s Common Agricultural Policy and the future for forestry in Scotland will be on the agenda when NFU Scotland holds its annual autumn meeting, taking place near Perth next Wednesday (31 October).

The meeting, which is open to all Union members, will hear from MEP George Lyon on the latest developments in the CAP reform process and the timetables for delivery. 

With forestry also in the spotlight, Dr Bob McIntosh, Scottish Government’s Environment & Forestry Director, will complete the morning line-up of speakers.

In the afternoon, the chairs of the Union’s eight specialist committees – Livestock, Combinable Crops, Milk, Less Favoured Areas, Pigs and Poultry, Environment and Land Use, Legal and Technical and Specialist Crops – will lay out their priorities for 2013, when the Union will celebrate its Centenary.

NFU Scotland President Nigel Miller said:

“There are few hotter topics for debate in Scottish agriculture right now than the future shape of our support systems and the role that forestry will play in our plans for land use in Scotland. In George Lyon and Bob McIntosh, we have two speakers who will bring a huge depth of knowledge and insight to these hugely important issues.

“The CAP reform discussions are gathering pace and Scotland is blessed in having a number of MEPs deeply engaged with that process.  George, in his role as a member of the European Parliament’s Agricultural Committee and author of a 2010 paper on CAP reform options, is steeped in these discussions.  He recently hosted the Agricultural Commissioner, Dacian Ciolos, on his visit to Scotland.  Members will be keen to hear from George about how reform is shaping up from Scottish farming’s perspective.

“The role of forestry in Scotland has also grabbed the attention and the headlines in recent times.  The Woodland Expansion Advisory Group agreed a number of recommendations on how planting should proceed in Scotland and those recommendations were recently accepted by the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Richard Lochhead.  As the Scottish Government’s lead on forestry, Dr McIntosh is ideally placed to map out how those WEAG recommendations will be adopted.

“In the afternoon, the stage will be given to the eight chairmen of our policy committees.  Next year, the Union will celebrate 100 years of representing Scottish farmers, growers and crofters.  Our workload and challenges continue to grow and the committee chairmen will outline the policy priorities they plan to tackle in the 12 months ahead.

“With a great line up of speakers, and the meeting open to all members, I look forward to a great day of discussion and debate.”  Ends

Notes to Editors

• NFU Scotland’s annual autumn meeting will take place at Scottish Natural Heritage Conference Centre at Battleby, Redgorton, Perth, PH1 3EW on Wednesday, 31 October starting at 11.00am.
• The event is open to all members of NFU Scotland and members of the media.  If you wish to attend, please contact Diane Burnside on 0131 472 4023 or Email: diane.burnside@nfus.org.uk   Pre-registering will assist with catering arrangements.
• The full programme for the event is:

10.30am - Registration and coffee
11.00am - Presentation on CAP Reform by George Lyon MEP
12 noon – Presentation on delivery of the Woodland Expansion Advisory Group recommendations by Dr Bob McIntosh, Environment & Forestry Director, Scottish Government
12.30pm – Lunch
1.30pm – The chairmen of NFU Scotland’s committees lay out their priorities for 2013.   The chairmen are: Rob Livesey (Livestock); Gary Mitchell (Milk); Lachlan Maclean (Less Favoured Areas); Philip Sleigh (Pigs and Poultry); Andrew Moir (Combinable Crops); Russell Brown (Specialist Crops); Gerald Banks (Environment & Land Use); John Smith (Legal & Technical).
3.30pm – Close

Ends

Contact Bob Carruth on 0131 472 4006