Scotland is on course to miss out on the full potential of native livestock breeds due to omissions in the proposals for the new Agriculture Bill, say campaigners.
The Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) is highlighting the lack of recognition of the benefits delivered by native breeds in its response to the Scottish government’s consultation on the Bill.
Native breeds of livestock should be 'at the heart' of future farming and land management in Scotland, the body says.
Breeds like Shetland and native Aberdeen Angus cattle are 'ideally suited' to modern systems where food production and environmental sustainability go hand in hand.
"Primitive sheep breeds such as the Soay and Boreray breeds are low input and their premium produce is high quality, high welfare, and culturally important as part of Brand Scotland," says RBST chief executive Christopher Price.
"Yet the Agriculture Bill proposals omit key policies to help increase the use of native livestock in Scottish farming and land management.
"The overall direction of the Bill is positive but without greater recognition of the role native breeds should play, we risk missing out on their full economic and environmental potential.”
In its consultation response, RBST highlights areas in particular where the proposals fail to recognise the benefits of native breeds.
These include lack of investment in Scotland’s local abattoir network – the local abattoir network is in decline and one of the biggest challenges for sustainable native livestock farmers is finding an abattoir which accepts small numbers of non-standard animals.
The government's proposals provide support for plant genetic resources but not those for livestock which can also help ensure future genetic diversity, support current conservation and act as an insurance policy against extinction.
The RBST also says the proposals also overlook kept animals in the protection and restoration of biodiversity – conservation of the UK’s rare native breeds of livestock is 'crucial' for biodiversity within species.
Mr Price adds: “Scottish government has a major opportunity in the Agriculture Bill to open up the unique and wide-ranging benefits of native livestock breeds for Scotland’s environment and economy.
"We will continue to make the case for changes that recognise the importance of biodiversity within livestock species, commit to investing in the local abattoir network, and support gene banking for rare native livestock breeds.”
