Rural Economy Secretary needs to give certainty over SRDP schemes
Mark Ruskell MSP, Food & Farming spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, today urged Scottish Ministers to end the uncertainty facing farmers who carry out environmentally-sustainable practices.
In light of a statement from the UK Chancellor guaranteeing post-Brexit support for structural funds such as Agri-Environment & Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) funds, Mr Ruskell today asked Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing to explain when he would give details about these payments but Mr Ewing insisted that he couldn't.
Mark Ruskell MSP said:
“Businesses are already anxious because of the CAP Futures fiasco. The Scottish Government should not hold back in delivering certainty over the SRDP schemes which support some of the most vulnerable farms.
"To deliver environmental benefits farmers need a cast iron guarantee that when decisions are made to invest in habitat creation or convert to organic status that the support schemes are there for the long term. The UK Government has brought some certainty; it’s for the Scottish Government to match this with a clear commitment to support the SRDP schemes to 2020.”