Sheepish attitude

The Scottish Government's pledge to offer £1 million of support to Scottish farmers to cover additional costs of buying electronic tags and specialist equipment to comply with the unnecessary and unwelcome sheep-tag regulations from Brussels is welcome and will go some way towards meeting the financial burden (Farming, 28 January).

However, the government's lack of financial commitment on central database costs and its announcement that sheep farmers will be forced to implement full electronic tagging to sheep under 12 months going direct to slaughter comes as a financial blow to an industry struggling to survive.

The cost to the industry of tracking every animal in Scotland will run into millions, which, is a burden the struggling sheep sector simply cannot withstand in the current climate.

Other European Union member state governments are giving financial assistance to their sheep farmers to help them meet these costs. This places our farmers at a competitive disadvantage. The Scottish Government must dig deeper.

STRUAN STEVENSON

Scottish Conservative MEP

Brussels

Subsidy debate

Brian Pack's eagerly awaited report into the agricultural sector has some very interesting proposals (Farming, 23 January). A period of wide consultation now starts, with the final report likely to be produced in the summer. It is unlikely there will be any significant changes until the European Union's review of the common agricultural policy in 2014. Following that, an area-based subsidy has been proposed to take over from the historic payment system.

That will mean the main part of the existing "subsidy cake" will be divided and spread over a much larger area. There will be winners and losers; the losers being those who have large subsidies and the winners those who may currently have eligible land but no subsidy.

Part of the future subsidy, the "top-up fund", may be linked to undertaking specific activities, for example renewable energy schemes or water management. Some of those who lose out may be able to access these additional payments. However, if the scheme is competitive, there may be too many applicants for a limited pool of funds.

The report sets an excellent framework for a review of the subsidy system. Saying that, there is a very long way to go between the proposals made in the final report and those which the EU will adopt in 2014. Whether any of the proposals made now, other than moving to some form of area-based scheme for payments, survive in a recognisable form in 2014 is a moot point.

COLIN CLARK

Pagan Osborne

St Catherine Street

Cupar, Fife