NFU Scotland has written to the Scottish Government requesting the establishment of a crofting stakeholder forum to drive forward the nation’s crofting sector into the 21st century.

The Union’s letter to Paul Wheelhouse, the minister with responsibility for crofting, follows his attendance at the Union’s Crofting Highlands & Islands Committee (CHIC) in Inverness last Thursday (6 March)

As a result of discussions at that meeting, the Union – which represents more than 800 crofting members – has made a formal request to Scottish Government to establish a Crofting Stakeholder Forum/Group at the earliest possible opportunity.

CHIC Chairman, Sandy Murray – a crofter from Sutherland – said:
 “For some time we have felt that there needs to be a national Crofting Stakeholder Forum, which could meet in the Crofting Counties and which would have a wider remit than the existing Cross Party Group on crofting that meets at Holyrood.

“As a Union, we appreciate and value the Cross Party Group but we are convinced that a stakeholder forum, with Scottish Government support and input, would be more effective in identifying issues and taking forward actions that would ensure the development and sustainability of crofting in to the 21st century.

“The establishment of the Crofting Register Stakeholder Forum and the Crofting Legislation Stakeholder Consultation Group have both demonstrated the benefit of getting stakeholders round the table, working towards a common goal and in a consensual manner.

“This kind of collaborative approach could be tackling big issues like the detailed implementation of CAP Pillar 1 and SRDP Pillar 2 schemes and the implications for crofting and common grazings.

“We used our letter to Mr Wheelhouse to outline our views on how support should be delivered through the rural development plan to crofts and small farms in the HIE area.  We also have clear views on eligibility criteria being based on the total amount of in-bye land with an upper limit of total farm hectares being greater than 50ha.

“We have also asked the Minister to revisit some of the current eligible options in the crofting grant schemes as we have some views on how these could be amended to make the scheme more effective. However, we appreciate that it would be more productive if these issues were discussed in an open forum with all stakeholders.

 “A Crofting Stakeholder Forum would also give the Crofting Commission (CC) and HIE the opportunity to report back on the work they are doing in relation to crofting and in particular on the joint working on the geo-pilots that they are aiming to take forward.

“The Union believes that the Forum would provide an excellent opportunity to really move crofting forward and address some strategic policy issues. It would be a good platform to discuss the implications of Land Court decisions and the need for some sort of arbitration or least cost option for crofters to appeal decisions that affect their crofts.

“It may also be a way of moving forward the Minister’s own idea of trying to encourage more law students to take up crofting law as a specialism as well as looking at issues such as new entrants in to crofting and the creation of new crofts.”  

Ends

Contact Bob Carruth on 0131 472 4006