Vicki Swales, Head of Land Use Policy, on the recent political deal on CAP reform.
Green is the colour of hope
“Every farmer in Scotland acting in a greener way than before”, is what Cabinet Secretary, Richard Lochhead told members of Scottish Environment LINK was one of his ambitions from the CAP reform process. So, it was rather surprising to read the Scottish Government’s press release announcing a political deal had been done on the CAP when it said, “The new greening of the CAP takes into account that Scotland is already green with mixed farming creating diverse landscapes...”. What’s the truth of the matter? Do farmers in Scotland need to do more or are they already green?
The answer is mixed. Some 40% of Scotland is comprised of High Nature Value farmland where traditional farming and crofting methods ensure that food is produced in nature friendly ways. But across large parts of Scotland, especially in those areas managed more intensively, there are some serious environmental problems. Declines in wildlife, diffuse pollution of water, soil erosion and greenhouse gas emissions are as prevalent in Scotland as they are in many other parts of Europe. Encouraging farmers to be greener is not a choice or a luxury but a fundamental necessity.
The Scottish Government’s apparently muddled position on the issue is frustrating. Privately, we’re told ‘yes, there are problems to address’ but all public statements seem carefully crafted to avoid upsetting farmers who see greening as greater controls and restrictions on their farming practices. In order to move forward, we need an open and honest discussion about the nature of the problems to be addressed; only then can we identify the appropriate solutions.
The political deal on CAP reform struck last week in Brussels gives our politicians some, but rather limited, options to address environmental problems. At the start of the process, we were told this was going to be the greenest CAP reform ever but it’s a deal that fails to live up to those green promises. Thanks to MEPs on the European Parliament Agriculture Committee and Agriculture Ministers across the EU, the green components of the reform package have been hacked about and substantially weakened, with many farmers now exempt from meeting requirements but still eligible for payments. In these financially austere times, when every penny of public money is being squeezed for maximum value, it seems reprehensible of our politicians to sanction so much ‘few strings attached’ expenditure under the CAP.
The CAP is, after all, our money. This deal means that, over the next seven years, around £4.5 billion will be spent supporting agriculture in Scotland. Spent wisely, this money can deliver much, helping to support food and drink production, stimulating the wider rural economy and creating jobs but doing so in ways that protect and enhance the environment and benefit society as a whole. But it will be very easy to spend it poorly, creating considerable private benefit for those fortunate enough to be recipients but securing limited public good. If Richard Lochhead genuinely wants to see every farmer acting in a greener way than before – and there is good reason to - he has to take some tough but intelligent decisions in the next few months.
Here are three things that would make a difference. First, in moving to regionalised payments in Pillar I of the CAP, greater support should be given to our High Nature Value farmers who currently get a poor deal and are struggling to survive. Second, we need to use the green payment to reach as far as possible and to deliver some real environmental improvements across Scotland. Finally, the Cabinet Secretary can move 15% of funds from Pillar I, where it is hard to target this money, into Pillar II – Scotland’s Rural Development Programme – where it can fund environmental schemes, business development and diversification and help rural communities. Critical decisions that, made wisely, would make a real difference. Let’s hope so.