NFU Scotland is asking for an increase of at least £1 billion in the UK government’s annual commitment to farm funding
NFU Scotland has called on political parties to increase agricultural funding and to commit to ringfenced multi-annual delivery in the future.
The union is asking for an increase of at least £1 billion in the UK government’s annual commitment to farm funding – from £3.7 billion to £4.7 billion – in manifesto pledges.
Funding is currently only guaranteed until the end of the current parliament, and there is a growing likelihood of a general election next year.
The Liberal Democrats has already passed a motion at its recent party conference pledging an extra ÂŁ1 billion per year to be added to the UK farming budget.
NFU Scotland said it would be writing to other parties to formally request that they include its proposals as commitments in their respective manifestos for the next election.
NFU Scotland President Martin Kennedy said: “We are being increasingly asked to deliver significantly more by way of public goods, which we will do, but that must not come at a growing private cost to businesses.
"All production costs have increased exponentially in the past five years due to factors out with our control yet the farm budget across the UK and Scotland has remained static.
"That means, in real terms, that there has been a significant decline in the real value of agricultural budgets, compounded by ag-inflation."
He said political parties must recognise and commit to a specific uplift in the farm budget through multi-annual and ringfenced funding from 2025 to 2029.
In terms of the value, Mr Kennedy said an increase of at least £1 billion in the UK government’s annual commitment to farm funding was needed.
That would equate to an additional sum of at least ÂŁ170 million per year for Scotland.
Mr Kennedy said: "[It would] underpin the incredible work of Scotland’s farmers and crofters in delivering on our ambitions to be a Good Food Nation whilst meeting our obligations to tacking emissions and reversing biodiversity loss.”
NFU Scotland’s delegation attended the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester this week and will be attending the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, which starts on Sunday 8 October.
The union will also be at the SNP party conference, which starts in Aberdeen on 15 October.