CAP Debate

Thank you Presiding Officer. I'm pleased to be sum up in this important debate and once again I declare a farming interest.

The aim of the common agricultural policy was to provide farmers with a reasonable standard of living, consumers with quality food at fair prices and to preserve rural heritage. The policy has evolved to meet society's changing needs so that food security, the environment, value for money and agriculture as a source of fuel crops have become key factors.

Its reform under Ross Finnie, gave farmers greater freedom to decide what crops and livestock to produce. Under the reformed CAP, instead of having to produce particular products to obtain support, farmers are able to choose what to produce and therefore an ability to match market demands. And at last there was a recognition that farmers in receipt of CAP support have responsibilities towards the protection of the environment, animal health and welfare, and public health, Things they have a good track record on in Scotland.

Of course here has to be a level playing field for farmers in Scotland, one that will ensure sustainable food production and a successful agricultural industry. And of course these two things must run alongside the stewardship of our land so Scotland's biodiversity is retained and nurtured. You cannot have environmental benefits without economic activity on the ground to deliver it.

When we debated the issue back in May last year, two things were clear from discussions with the farming sector:

1. that any increases in compusory modulation should be tempered with reductions in voluntary modulation; and I welcome the Government's pledge to do this.

2. and the other issue of progressive modulation which threatened to damage the farming sector, stifle business and fundamentally put Scotland at an unfair competitive disadvantage with other parts of Europe. Thankfully this has been reduced from an extra 45% modulation rate to 4%.

{Food security and keeping hill farming viable are still uppermost in everyone's thoughts; both inextricably linked as they are. }

We're moving from an era of food surplus to an era of food shortage. We know that global population is growing fast. At the same time, climate change, the overlap of urban into rural areas and the massive expansion in Biofuel production are all factors which limit the amount of land available for farming and food production.

The imbalance between Farmgate and retail prices is being acutely felt by producers and this doesn't bode well for a viable future.

So the Scottish Government's top priority must therefore be to secure our future productive capacity, if any of our aspirations for a food policy are to be met. And SRDP is key in delivering that goal, at the same time as supporting farming activity and stemming the decline in livestock numbers.

But there have been problems with access to the Scottish Rural Development Programme as my colleague Liam McArthur has illustrated, which do not help - the system is too complicated and farmers are being put off even applying. The criteria are restrictive and we've heard the figure of 25% of all applications getting the red light. So this is a real problem which the Government needs to address.

1. The system is computerised - not always possible for those in remote rural areas to apply because of digital exclusion.

There are parts of my South of Scotland region still unable to get broadband for example.

2. There is a cost involved for applications who use consultants so there is also the fear that any application which might be unsuccessful will come with an added cost - enough to put many off.

I couldn't mention consultants without mentioning FWAG Scotland now facing an uncertain future, I appreciate that Mr Russell met with them yesterday, but I appeal that Ministers do all in their power - and it is in their power - to help FWAG Scotland survive in a meaningful way after April and for the future. The industry and conservationists need the expertise of this organisation.

(A further point - in the Scottish Farmer a couple of weeks ago, Mr Lochhead's colleague and deputy leader for Argyll and Bute Council said that SRDP funding should be taken away from Aberdeenshire, Berwickshire, Dumfries and Wigtownshire and put into his area in Argyll. May I remind the CS' colleague that there are many parts of the South of Scotland that have severely disadvantaged land not just Argyll. )

Presiding officer, Scotland has distinct agricultural needs which must be taken into account by the CAP health check, particularly in terms of ongoing support for our livestock sectors and rural remote areas. If we are to see livestock on our hills, we need a CAP support to make up the gap between the market price and what's needed to be viable.

I welcome the review of the SRDP. Close dialogue with the industry and other interest groups will be key to delivering a more market responsive and sustainable agriculture industry through an improved SRDP, and look across the benches for support for the Lib Dem amendment today.

Thank you