Agricultural policy implementation – EU Hub

Overview

The group will review the Scottish Government’s approach to greening and recommend how the available policy and support mechanisms can be used most effectively in Scotland to: 

• promote profitable farming while meeting the Scottish Government’s environmental commitments
• avoid unnecessary administrative and compliance effort for farmers

This review will take into account:

• requests for changes to greening rules from farmers and implications for the delivery of the Scottish Government’s environmental commitments

• the balance between Pillar 1 and Pillar 2 funding
• potential delivery implications for farmers and the Scottish Government
• changes to EU greening rules arising from the European Commission’s Simplification Review, expected to conclude in April 2017
• the Scottish Government’s Vision for Scottish Agriculture and the sector strategy, which is being developed with advice from the four Agriculture Champions appointed by the Scottish Government

In addition to Pillar 1 greening requirements, the group will consider the role of a wide range of policy levers and innovative approaches for encouraging sustainable and profitable farming, including:

• measures to promote ‘win-win’ practices that benefit both farm businesses and the environment, including training, advice, benchmarking and demonstration farms

• incentives for sustainable farming where there are trade-offs between environmental and economic objectives, including targeted public funding (e.g. agri-environment support) and market mechanisms.

Members

Russel Griggs (Chair)
Allan Bowie
Caroline Drummond           
Maggie Keegan                   
John Kinnaird
David Michie
Colin Mitchell           
Pete Ritchie                         
Geoff Squire                        
Vicki Swales
John Thomson                    
Christine Watson
Graham Young