Budget commitment to maintain farm support

While the usual caveats around the ‘devil being in the detail’ of any Budget applied, yesterday’s announcement appeared to confirm the UK Government’s 2019 commitment to maintain farm support spending across the UK over the lifetime of the parliament.

NFU Scotland’s policy director, Jonnie Hall

“The government will seize the opportunity of EU exit to increase the sustainability, productivity and resilience of the agriculture, fishing, food, and drink sectors by fulfilling the commitment to maintain total farm support in every nation of the UK worth a cumulative £3.7 billion a year,” chancellor Rishi Sunak announced. Giving the news a tentative welcome, NFU Scotland’s policy director, Jonnie Hall, said an important additional element appeared to be the promise to extend the £25.7m which was promised under the Bew Review uplift for a further three years.

“That’s a big plus and we would look to the Scottish Government to commit those funds to a significant package of measures in the 2022-2024 window to initiate the necessary changes needed to drive forward a new post-CAP agricultural policy in Scotland,” said Hall.

He added that with the union membership gathering for its autumn conference later today, members hoped to hear more detail on what this policy would look like when Cabinet Secretary Mairi Gougeon addresses the event.

“NFU Scotland and others have set out a clear industry-backed roadmap on how future policy can meet the challenges of climate change and enhancing biodiversity,” added Hall.