It’s another slap in the face for rural Scotland this week, as the cabinet secretary admits to a £46.1 million ‘IOU.’

The situation has become so desperate that even former farming minister Fergus Ewing has been forced to speak out against what he describes as a travesty – the misappropriation of critical funds. Mr Ewing famously pulled off a masterstroke back in 2019 when he returned north with a credit note worth millions.

This success was due to the hard yards in lobbying efforts, but it also reflects the unpredictable policies that came from Boris Johnson’s Conservative Government. Perhaps they were too busy having parties at Number 10 to realise what they had signed? As the Covid inquiry has demonstrated, well-thought-out policies were not their forte.

Years have passed, and the opportunity to create a financial safety net for hill farmers and crofters has been squandered. When the finance minister needed cash, it was all too easy to raid the rural pot, thanks to inept leadership that failed to protect these precious funds for those who were due payment.

This year, many farmers are still waiting for their crucial BPS payments, which seem to be stuck in the system. Despite several farmers contacting The Scottish Farmer to voice concerns over the computer system, the Scottish Government again this week insists there are ‘no issues reported with the payment systems’.

At least the passing of the motion at the Holyrood Rural Affairs Committee means there should be no excuses for late LFASS payments in 2025. The call for evidence on the legal instrument revealed a split among rural membership organisations and prominent farmers.

Scottish Land and Estates, along with the Scottish Beef Association, argue that a rebasing exercise is needed to ensure payments reflect actual farming activity and prevent disadvantaging new or expanding businesses. On the other side, NFU Scotland maintains that the issue was discussed at its LFA committee meeting in May, and they do not support rebasing payments at this time.

While civil servant capacity may make recalculating LFASS payments a challenge, NFU Scotland’s firm stance in maintaining the status quo is a bold move. How this will be received by grassroots members remains to be seen.

Fractures are beginning to show in Scotland’s rural representative organisations, as highlighted by the debate in the Rural Committee. The membership of the floundering Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board (ARIOB) is being called into question.

Some rural organisations are frustrated that they lack the same level of access to government officials as ARIOB members.

In the latest minutes from the ARIOB meeting in May, it was stated that ‘communications will be the number one priority over the next few months’.

Yet, we remain none the wiser on the details of the government’s route map. Either their number one priority has been a complete disaster, or there are no plans to share. I’m not sure which scares me more.

A Great Night Out

As the nights continue to stretch, and we find ourselves spending more time in the house, what better reason to get out for a celebration than the Scottish Agriculture Awards? With the last few tables remaining for the event in Glasgow on Thursday, October 24, it’s the perfect excuse for a party to champion the best of our industry and community!