Scots Tories launch document setting out future farming policy

The Scottish Conservatives promise to maintain funding to farmers facing remoteness, harsh climate, and poor soil quality
The Scottish Conservatives promise to maintain funding to farmers facing remoteness, harsh climate, and poor soil quality

Measures to help new entrants, more flexible working and managing exits from farming are some of the plans outlined in the Scottish Conservative's new document setting out their future farming policy.

The party has published “A New Approach to Scottish Farming” which forms the basis of their future agriculture policy.

It focuses on productivity, regional differentiation, environmental protection, research, education and securing the future of farming careers.

It also highlights the opportunity of designing and implementing a new support system that is 'better suited' to the needs of Scottish agriculture than the 'outdated' Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

There would be a focus in providing support to farmers who set out key environmental outcomes, combining financial stability with environmental measures.

The rest of the UK remains the biggest market for Scottish farm produce, with the Scots Tories saying it is 'crucial' that any new system does not create any friction with this internal market.

The document promises to maintain funding to farmers facing remoteness, harsh climate, and poor soil quality.

The party also urges Scotland's education system to 'adapt' to support a new generation of land managers through Rural Skills Level 4 and increased vocational training.

STEM subjects 'must be a priority' in order to allow farmers to harness technology, and implement future focused environmental strategies.

Scottish Conservative rural economy shadow secretary, Donald Cameron said the SNP-led government 'continue to let farmers and crofters down by being preoccupied with promoting Scottish independence'.

“The SNP seems content to wage constitutional warfare rather than address the serious, practical issues facing farmers today,” he said.

“Our focus is on practical, simple support that farmers can access easily and quickly. The Scottish Conservatives want government to support environmental measures, new technologies, new entrants to farmers, and flexibility for those in farming as well as those who wish to exit with dignity.”