The Scottish Beef Association has claimed that a “huge new band” of slipper farmers will be created as a result of Cabinet Secretary Richard Lochhead’s “capitulation” to the environmental lobby.
In a hard-hitting attack on Mr Lochhead, the SBA said one of his principal objectives in CAP negotiations, that of eliminating slipper farmers, was now in tatters and branded measures to ensure funding goes only to active farmers “a joke”.
“Mr Lochhead’s capitulation to the environmental lobby over the cutting option for unstocked rough grazing, coupled with the refusal of the EU to accept the addition of sporting estates to the negative list, will ensure a huge new band of slipper farmers,” said SBA chairman and Dumfries beef farmer Scott Henderson.
He said farmers now faced a situation where the majority of landlords were keeping area payments to themselves.
Tenants, through no fault of their own, were going to be frozen out of the new Basic Payment System.
“It’s not going to be new entrants who are frozen out but the tenanted sector,” he said.
“The windfall profit measure for those giving up land is going to be a further kick in the teeth.
“Would that measure not have worked better in reverse by reducing payments to those responsible for the land grab?”
The SBA further stated “bitter disappointment” at the way CAP measures are unwinding in Scotland with farmers still awaiting crucial detail before submitting their application forms for the BPS.
“Our initial guarded welcome for Richard Lochhead’s announcements back in June last year has been slowly eroded by the detail and U turns announced since,” said Mr Henderson.
“There is a huge question mark over the new computer package being fit for purpose.
“Many of our members report problems, from difficulty in registering on the website through to using the BPS application process.
“Registering and applying for BPS is just the start of the process and we fear for the havoc that will ensue when the system is asked to pay out.
“We are already contacting the banks to ensure they have contingency plans in place to deal with possible cash-flow issues later this year.”
The SBA also say the late inclusion of a stepped transition period from the present system of calculating payments to an area-based system as an option in the Scottish Government’s “master plan” is giving anything but a soft landing for farmers.
“Instead of five equal steps, we will have a drop off a cliff this year, followed by four tiny steps which in many cases are actually up not down,” Mr Henderson said.
“The SBA initially gave Richard Lochhead six out of 10 when he announced his implementation plans for the new CAP.
“His score is now much lower just like our expectations.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman responded: “The Scottish Government has fought hard to ensure the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) supports farmers with dirty wellies rather than comfy slippers and inactive farmers will not receive payments.
“Beef production is of course one of many different activities that qualifies for support under EU regulations and the Scottish Government is prevented from giving priority to one activity over another.
“However, our new minimum activity rules will ensure only active farmers qualify for direct payments.
“The new CAP includes specific measures to support producers that we were asked for by the beef sector, such as increased coupled support and the new £45 million beef support scheme, as well as the transition to area-based payments.
“We have made repeatedly clear the position we are in because of the complexities of the new CAP we have been asked to deliver by industry and the EU, and the difficulties caused by the lack of technical detail and late feedback from Europe including on the far-reaching consequences of our plans for the 2013-15 rule.
“All of the guidance producers need to fill out their Single Application Form (SAF) has now been published, and we continue to urge farmers and crofters to register for Rural Payments and Services as soon as possible, and to apply for support online so they can benefit from the automatic checking for errors in their application.
“We know that some customers have been experiencing issues with the Rural Payments and Services system during the first week of the SAF window.
“We have a team that is constantly monitoring the system and we are working flat out to sort any issues that arise.”