Taskforce recommendations published.

Simplicity, flexibility and consistency are at the heart of recommendations to improve how we support farming and food production in the future.

A taskforce set up to look at changes to the way the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is delivered during the transition period 2021-2024 has recommended a number of improvements. These include changes to online land mapping systems and appeals processing in order to take a more proportional approach to financial penalties when errors are found. The taskforce also suggested that capital grant rules should be standardised.

Work is now underway to consider how best to take these recommendations forward, including how they might inform the advice the Farming and Food Production Future Policy Group has been asked to provide.

Welcoming the taskforce’s report, Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said:

“This report sets out how we might move beyond the current regulatory approach to providing support to farmers and crofters.

“I am pleased that the taskforce has recognised the need to provide industry with more flexibility, simplicity and support in areas that farmers and crofters have repeatedly highlighted as needing improvement. These recommendations have the potential to create a more farmer-focused approach, through a more proportionate approach to penalties and creating a better customer experience when applying for support.

“That is why we have already committed to improving land mapping with a new land parcel identification system and we have also taken steps to improve the appeals process.”

Background

Announced at AgriScot 2018, the Simplification Taskforce was made up of key experts, including people with active experience of the current CAP.

Report of the Simplification Taskforce.

The Farming and Food Production Future Policy Group, which has been asked to provide advice on proposals for policy on farming and food production after 2024.

The Scottish Government has proposed a transition period up until 2024 for farming and rural support in the event of Brexit to provide stability, certainty and simplicity for farmers, crofters and land users.