Agriculture - national test programme: equality impact assessment

Executive summary

The National Test Programme sits within the wider context of transitioning agricultural support from the previous EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) regime to a domestic future rural support framework. As it is envisaged that some proportion of this future support will be made conditional on farmers, crofters and land managers undertaking certain actions and meeting certain requirements, the Programme is an opportunity for the Scottish Government to test potential options for some of these actions and requirements. The learning gained from this testing can then be used to inform the further development of the long term future support framework.

The Programme will consist of two "tracks". Track One, "Preparing for Sustainable Farming", which aims to encourage farm businesses to improve their knowledge of current environmental performance and efficiency by offering them support to carry out a carbon audit and/or soil analysis, and Track Two, "Testing Actions for Sustainable Farming", which will include detailed testing of how new conditions or activities could be applied to future support, to ensure delivery of environmental outcomes in a way that supports sustainable businesses.

Given the focussed nature of the Programme, the fact that it is short-term and transitionary, and that participation is voluntary, it was determined that the Programme was unlikely to have a significant impact on the protected characteristics. As a result, the Scottish Government considers that only a minimal EQIA process is required at this stage, and that it will be more appropriate to focus the equalities analysis on the changes that will be made during the development of the longer term future rural policy framework (with further consultation and EQIAs as needed).

Background

Since the UK left the EU, the majority of agricultural support for farmers, crofters and land managers in Scotland has been delivered through the domestic continuation of schemes previously run under the EU Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2014-2020 programme. This is part of the Scottish Government's commitment to maintain a period of stability for farmers, crofters and land managers in the immediate aftermath of the UK exit from the EU, in order to give them as much certainty as possible in terms of their operating environment.

This situation cannot continue indefinitely, however, and so the Scottish Government is developing a robust and coherent long term support framework that will deliver high quality food production, climate mitigation and adaptation, and nature restoration.

The National Test Programme sits within this context of transitioning agricultural support from the previous EU CAP regime to a domestic future rural support framework. It recognises the need for urgency in addressing the climate change and biodiversity crises, as well as providing learning which will inform the further development of the future support framework and the new Scottish Agriculture Bill.

Participation in the Programme will be voluntary, but as the longer term future rural support framework is developed, it is envisaged that some proportion of future support will be made conditional on farmers, crofters and land managers undertaking certain actions and meeting certain requirements. The Programme is therefore an opportunity for the Scottish Government to test potential options for some of these actions and requirements.

The Programme will be split into two tracks.

Track One - Preparing for Sustainable Farming

This aims to encourage farm businesses to improve their knowledge of current environmental performance and efficiency. Support will incentivise businesses to engage with and adopt measures that will create a baseline of information and understanding in sustainable agriculture. It will support activities that will aid transition towards a productive, highly resilient agriculture sector, based on the appropriate management of land and soils.

Every farmer, crofter and land manager in Scotland will be offered support to undertake a Carbon Audit. Once they have completed a Carbon Audit, or if they have already completed one, they can receive support for soil analysis. In addition, farmers and crofters with cattle will be provided with access to performance data relating to their herd.

Track Two - Testing Actions for Sustainable Farming

Track two will include detailed testing of how new conditions or activities could be applied to future support, and to ensure delivery of environmental outcomes in a way that supports sustainable businesses. Once tested as part of the Programme, these can then inform future rural support which will be rolled out nationwide. As part of the livestock digital data project under this track, SAOS (3rd party) will work with a small number of beef farmers, in different geographic areas, to demonstrate the impact of agri-tech and specialist advice to inform future decisions on how advisory services and capital funding can support Scottish beef farming businesses to improve productivity.

The purpose of this track is to develop and test actions that are appropriate to become a conditional element of future direct support and to determine the data and metrics required to demonstrate they deliver against outcomes. The intention is that this will create a robust understanding of how new conditions or activities could be applied to future support, and ensure delivery of environmental outcomes in a way that supports sustainable businesses.