POWERS under the UK Government's Agriculture Bill as drafted yesterday could potentially see the Scottish Parliament unable to continue to provide coupled support for active beef and sheep farmers and Less Favoured Area Support Scheme payments.
Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said: "The UK Government's Agriculture Bill fails to meet the key tests of delivering on promises made to Scotland, respecting the devolved settlements and righting long-standing issues.
"It represents a missed opportunity for the UK Government to deliver on promises made during the referendum and since -namely that Scottish farmers would continue to receive at least the same level of funding as they currently do in the event of Brexit.
"This Bill rides roughshod over the devolved settlement. For example, on compliance with WTO (World Trade Organization) rules, the Bill could create sweeping unilateral powers that could constrain policy choices in Scotland. It is therefore of serious concern that the UK Government could impose unwanted policies and rules on Scottish farmers in areas of devolved competency. "
Mr Ewing went on: "Unless and until the attempts to grab key powers that impact on farming and food production are addressed and revisited, we are clear that we cannot and will not bring forward legislative consent motions for primary Brexit legislation, such as this, until the Sewel Convention is made operative again."
Speaking from Westminster, NFU Scotland President Andrew McCornick said:"Preserving or enhancing future funding levels for Scottish agriculture remains a red line issue for NFUS as we are clearly stepping away from previous funding arrangements determined by the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy). We also want to be reassured that previous commitments on how Scotland's share of the agricultural pot of funding will be determined and delivered. That must take the review of convergence funding into consideration.
"Early reading of the Bill indicates that funding would, in the future, sit at a Defra (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs) level, ring-fenced to agriculture. We need to establish what powers the Secretary of State would then hold in determining how that funding is distributed and what control Scotland would have in determining what type of schemes would be supported."
Mr McCornick went on: "In our own "Steps To Change" document, launched in March, we map out our vision of a bold agricultural policy based on supporting activity rather than land, and would deliver a profitable farming sector that underpins the huge social, economic and environmental contribution made by farmers and crofters.
"For that change to be managed, future plans must recognise the valuable flexibility provided by existing arrangements around the likes of coupled support and LFASS. The ability to target precious funding in the future, so that it more closely recognises and rewards activity is needed."
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