Priorities for Scottish Agriculture and key asks for all political parties and prospective candidates.
NFU Scotland has set out its priorities for the inevitable General Election this year in a manifesto issued to all political parties.
The NFU Scotland Manifesto 2024 sets out specific requirements that Scottish agriculture will need to help meet its full potential. The Union is seeking clear manifesto commitments from all the main Westminster parties and is asking prospective UK parliamentary candidates to also back those asks outlined under the following five priority areas;
- Deliver increased, ring-fenced and multi-annual funding
- Improve producer margins to increase food security
- Better access to skilled workers
- Protect domestic food production in future trade deals
- Increase fiscal incentives.
Launching the Union’s manifesto today (Wednesday 10 April) at West Craigie Farm, South Queensferry on the outskirts of Edinburgh, NFU Scotland President, Martin Kennedy, said, “We need commitments from the next UK Government, and we need the full support of all prospective Scottish MPs who should all be championing the interests of Scottish agriculture.
“Covering over 74 percent of Scotland, active farming and crofting is key to helping to meet climate and biodiversity needs. In addition to producing food of the highest quality, agriculture underpins rural communities across Scotland and is at the heart of
flourishing environments.
“High-quality agricultural production is vital to the wider food and drink industry – a sector that’s worth over £16 billion to the Scottish economy, employs over 130,000 people, and supports Scotland’s national reputation on the world stage.
“It’s as good as certain there will be a General Election this year to create the next UK Government. While most policy, legislation and regulation which directly and indirectly relates to our interests in the future prosperity of Scottish agriculture is devolved to Holyrood and the Scottish Government, our attention and influence must also be fixed on Westminster.
“There are fundamental issues that are reserved to the UK Government, such as trade, migration, and internal market issues. Top of the list is the fundamental need to deliver increased, ring-fenced and multi-annual funding.
“The next parliamentary term will be pivotal for Scotland’s farmers and crofters. This NFU Scotland General Election Manifesto 2024 sets out specific commitments that Scottish agriculture requires to meet its full potential. Securing these commitments from the next UK Government would take us a long way towards our goal of a sustainable and profitable future for Scottish agriculture.”
NFU Scotland is holding an event for MPs at Westminster on 16 April and will also be inviting all parties to a hustings event over the next few months to discuss and debate the contents of its manifesto asks. Details of that hustings event will be shared more widely in due course.
Notes to Editors:
1) A pdf version of NFU Scotland’s General Election Manifesto 2024 is attached
here.
2) NFU Scotland key asks from next UK Government are:
- Commit to an increased, ring-fenced and multi-annual agriculture and rural development budget for the UK from 2025-2029.
- Increase the current UK Government’s funding commitment by at least an additional £1 billion, to at least £4.7 billion, given the costs to deliver the required public interest and public good outcomes.
- Review the allocation of total funding across the UK to better reflect that Scotland punches above its weight in delivering for food, climate and biodiversity.
- Use the powers in the Agriculture Act 2020 to empower producers’ and growers’ negotiating positions.
- Review labelling regulations to provide greater transparency for consumers where more than 50 percent of ingredients are sourced from outside the UK.
- Extend the role of the Groceries Code Adjudicator and the Code of Practice to cover the full supply chain.
- Introduce a duty on retailers to produce an annual report on local sourcing.
- Introduce a minimum five-year rolling seasonal workers scheme with a suitable length visa and no cap on worker numbers.
- Commit to developing and delivering migration policy that works for the rural economy, food security and worker welfare.
- Increase the use of tax and fiscal incentives to encourage the longer term letting of land to agricultural businesses.
- Increase capital allowances to incentivise investment in working capital and equipment, as well as longer-term investment in buildings and structures.
- Introduce investment and fiscal measures to accelerate farming’s renewable energy and carbon-free fertilisers contribution, particularly green hydrogen potential.
- Class agriculture as a sensitive sector in the context of any new trade deals.
- Publish an annual Free Trade Agreements assessment to quantify the cumulative impacts of trade deals.
- Publish an annual Free Trade Agreements assessment to quantify the cumulative impacts of trade deals.
- Introduce a formal process to develop and establish core production standards for all agri-food imports.
- Increase resources for import controls to help protect food biosecurity.
- Commit support to grow agri-food exports and promote our high-quality produce around the world.
Ends
Contact Diana McGowan on 07920 018619