Aid for farms 'unacceptable'

It is "totally unacceptable" that Scotland receives less rural development funding than any other European member state, MSPs said yesterday.

Members of Holyrood's rural affairs and environment committee have called for a fairer allocation of Common Agricultural Policy funding, which gives public support for EU agricultural workers. The committee's report, published yesterday, found that Scotland's average share of rural development funding is lower than any member state in the European Union, despite the challenges of farming rugged and often remote terrain.

Some 85 per cent of Scotland's land is classified "less favoured", meaning it is generally only suitable for rough grazing.