UK TREASURY funding to maintain farm support across the UK has been guaranteed for the lifetime of the parliament, as announced during Wednesday’s Autumn Budget.
The UK Government has fulfilled their promise to maintain total farm support in every nation of the UK worth a cumulative £3.7 billion a year.
NFU Scotland have welcomed this news, along with extensions to the recommendations of the Bew Review, with additional funding to be provided to farmers in Scotland over the next three years.
“While the usual caveats around the devil being in the detail of any Budget always apply, this announcement appears to uphold the 2019 commitment to maintain farm support across the UK over the lifetime of the parliament,” said NFUS’ Director of Policy, Jonnie Hall.
Read more: Half a billion in farming support delivered ahead of time
“Moreover, an import additional element is the extension of the addition Bew Review allocation top up for Scotland (£25.7 million per year) beyond the initial two years of 2020 to 2022.
“That’s a big plus and we would look to Scottish Government to commit those funds to a significant package of measures in the 2022-2024 window to initiate the necessary changes needed to drive forward a new post-CAP agricultural policy in Scotland,” he continued.
“NFU Scotland and others, including our five farmer-led climate change groups, have set out a clear industry-backed roadmap on how future Scottish agricultural policy can meet the challenges of climate change and enhancing biodiversity whilst contributing to Scotland’s ambitious food and drink sector targets.
Read more: Scotland’s farmers and crofters need support to deliver high quality, sustainable produce
“We hope to hear more detail on what this policy will look like and how it fits with the Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board (ARIOB), co-chaired by the Cabinet Secretary Mairi Gougeon and NFUS President Martin Kennedy when they both address our autumn conference on October 28.”
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