Proposals for a definition of minimum active farming which is acceptable to the European Commission will be tabled by Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead, at a meeting of industry stakeholders.
Hopes that minimum stocking rate could be used to determine eligibility for support for livestock farmers under the new CAP and rule out so-called ‘slipper farmers’ have been dashed by the Commission, which insists this criterion would contravene World Trade Organisation rules.
Scottish Government, with the support of industry organisations, is committed to getting rid of ‘slipper farmers’ who have been sucking millions of pounds a year in Single Farm Payment from the budget and diluting support for active farmers.
The Scottish region of the National Sheep Association is the latest organisation to call for support to be directed towards productive farms producing food.
“We need to deliver a system that supports the whole of Scottish agricultural production from 2015 to 2020 and longer term,” George Milne, development officer with the NSA in Scotland, told the NSA Scotland annual meeting in Edinburgh.
“The Scottish clause identifying minimum activity is essential in order to remove from the system land which is unoccupied.”
The Government has proposed a two-region approach to the allocation of support arable farms with temporary or permanent grass constituting one region, and rough grazing the other.
But Mr Milne insists that three, or possibly four, regions are required to target support more precisely and ensure that the more productive farms receive the highest level of support.
He is suggesting a 36:50:14% split between permanent grass, arable and rough grazing which would transfer around £30 million of support from arable areas to livestock producing areas.
“Farm business income figures show that specialist sheep and beef farms are the most vulnerable sectors of Scottish agriculture and are most in need of additional support,” he says.
“Each 1% move of the goalposts represents a move of £5.7m in support.”
Mr Milne said additional support for sheep and beef producers in the hills and uplands would encourage farmers to invest in breeding stock and reverse the downward trend in the national sheep flock and beef cattle herd on which so much of the Scottish agricultural economy depended.
The NSA Scotland chairwoman, Mrs Sybil Macpherson, Dalmally, said the number one priority was to ensure that all support went to active farmers and an acceptable compromise was reached in applying regional payments.
Mrs Macpherson was re-elected chairwoman with Ian Hepburn, Hawick, who resigned as vice-chairman last July, returning as vice-chairman.
A challenge to the reappointment of Fife farmer and elder statesman of the industry John Cameron, as president, was ruled out of order as the correct procedures under the constitution had not been followed in nominating Rod McKenzie, Munlochy, for the post.