Agriculture

SNP GOVERNMENT ACHIEVEMENTS ON AGRICULTURE

Single Farm Payment Scheme

• 18,800 farmers paid a total of £469.5 million by Christmas 2010.  The equivalent of 92% of farmers.  This compares to Rural Payments Agency  paying 85% and Wales paying 90% of their farmers both by 31 December 2010.

Less Favoured Area Support scheme

• We are aiming to pay the majority of eligible claims soon.   Estimated values: £62 million to be paid to 13,000 beneficiaries.
• We have increased LFASS rates for the most fragile regions - up 19% for 2009 and 38% from 2010. 

Scottish Beef Calf scheme

• Payments on schedule to start mid-March.  Around 7,700 farmers benefiting with a total value of £22 million Supports beef production in environmentally sensitive areas..
• Supports beef production in environmentally sensitive areas.

Scotland Rural Development Programme

• Continue to deliver economic, social and environmental benefits across rural Scotland through the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) 2007-13.  As at November 2010 £398m had been approved under the Rural Priorities element of the Programme alone. This has protected 1850 new jobs, and safeguarded 11,550.

SEARS

• Reduced inspections and visits by nearly 5,000 (4,996) by joined-up working of delivery bodies through SEARS project (Scotland’s Environmental and Rural Services).  Farmers surveyed estimate 11% less time taken up by paperwork, equating to 200,000 hours across sector to devote to more productive activity.

Agri Environment

• Applications worth over £155m for agri-environment priorities have been approved under Rural Priorities. Achievements include supporting the creation or management of over 18,000km of hedgerow for biodiversity value, and management of over 190,000 hectares of open grazed or wet grassland for wildlife.

Animal Health

• Following the highly successful bluetongue vaccination campaign in Scotland in 2008, Great Britain’s (GB) bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV8) status has been changed so that we are now a BTV8 Lower Risk Zone (LRZ).  This is the first step on the road to Scotland achieving BTV8-free status
• On 8 September 2009 Scotland became Officially Tuberculosis Free (OTF) securing a unique position within the UK.  .
• Have committed £5m on a sheep electronic identification (EID) research pilot project (ScotEID) - unique within the UK. 
• Spent over £4m/yr on animal disease surveillance.

Rapid response to severe winters

• Severe Weather Grant targeted at avoiding animal health and welfare problems as a result of collapsed buildings.
• £200,000 in emergency aid delivered through the National Fallen Stock Company to help dispose of the thousands of sheep that perished.

Climate Change        

• As part of the “Farming for a Better Climate” initiative we launched four Climate Change Focus Farms, which will demonstrate to farmers measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while strengthening their businesses.

Climate Challenge Fund awards

• Fife Diet : CCF Award  £144,060
• Knoydart Food Strategy - Community Garden Project : CCF Award - £41,643
• Shettleston Community Growing Project : CCF Award - £172,769
• Community Allotment Scheme – Unst : CCF Award - £18,820

Brian Pack Inquiry

• The Brian Pack Inquiry’s final report “The Road ahead for Scotland” was published on 3^rd November 2010.
• The extensive work carried out by the Inquiry puts Scotland at forefront of forthcoming European discussions and visits to Scotland by Commissioner Ciolos, Paolo de Castro, chair, European Parliament agriculture committee and Tassos Haniotis, senior economist DG Agri, will also ensure that Scotland’s special circumstances and needs are understood in Brussels.
• Speaking at the Oxford Farming Conference in January 2011, Commissioner Ciolos said “Some of you will have read the Pack Report, examaning the reform options from Scotland’s perspective.  What I can tell you is that the importance of public support for so many Scottish farmers, underlined by this report is shared in most of Europe”.

Skills and New Entrants

• Spent over £4m/yr on advice and support for farm businesses, including support for Lantra, the Sector Skills Council;  about 300 Whole Farm Reviews each year;  and a wide range of free advice delivered through our Public Good Advisory Services.
• First administration to introduce dedicated support for young new entrants to farming, with a £10m budget to 2013
• Introduced new scheme (the Skills Development Scheme) to support innovative, industry-led projects to improve farmers’ land and business management skills

Food and Drink

• Introduced and continuing to deliver Scotland’s first National Food and Drink Policy Sales of Scottish food and drink brands across Britain increased by 30% between May 2007 and May 2010 and exports continue to grow (up 15% between 2007 and 2009).
• Under the Food Processing and Marketing Co-operation Scheme, 126 successful applicants have been awarded a total grant of £25 million from a total investment of £87 million.  This will help ensure the jobs of 5,489 are safeguarded.
• Building capacity in our farmers markets through a package of support to Farmers Markets in Scotland of over £200,000 funding over three years.
• Scotland’s Year of Food and Drink, with a focus on celebrating and enhancing our reputation as a land of food and drink as part of a number of celebration years leading to the second year of Homecoming.

Crofting

• The Scottish Government has taken vital steps to secure the future of crofting. The Crofting Counties Agricultural Grants Scheme has continued to enable crofters to improve the infrastructure of their holdings thus aiding and developing agricultural production from crofting businesses. 
• Assistance from the Croft House Grants Scheme has enabled an average of more than 120 croft houses to be built or refurbished in the last 4 years. The Government has also committed itself to the future of the Bull Stud Farm and has budgeted for a £1.5m renovation of the facility.