Question reference: S5W-33334
- Asked by: Maureen Watt, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 17 November 2020
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Current status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Fergus Ewing on 18 November 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making on delivering the Programme for Government commitment to establish farmer-led groups to co-develop new ways of working that will help make farming and food production more sustainable.
Answer
In this year’s Programme for Government, we committed to establishing farmer-led groups to provide information, advice and proposals to cut emissions and tackle climate change in their sectors.
The first of those farmer led groups, chaired by Jim Walker CBE, former NFUS President, reported a few weeks ago with strong recommendations on how to adapt our suckler beef herd to a low carbon future and one that remains both productive and profitable. The response to the report has been very positive amongst many in the farming sector, who, like myself, understand the need to drive forward this work at pace.
Today at AgriScot I will be announcing the establishment of a programme board, to be co-chaired by myself and Jim Walker. The Board will begin work to determine how best to take forward these recommendations with the aim of reporting back early next year. Membership will include representatives from the Scottish Government, Nature Scot, SRUC, and QMS. Other members of the board will include Claire Simonetta and Pat Lambert from the farming sector, as well as Scott Walker, Chief Executive of the NFUS, Andy McGowan from the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers and Neil Wilson from the Institute of Auctioneers and Appraisers in Scotland (IASS). Tim Bailey and Bob Yuill from SAOS and ScotEID respectively will also serve on the board.
I will also be announcing that Andrew Moir has agreed to lead an arable sector group which will consider how best the sector can be supported to cut its emissions, farm more sustainably and contribute to our climate change commitments. Andrew has a wealth of experience which he will bring to this role, not least as a farmer. He is a past Chairman of Ringlink Scotland and Agriscot and has served in a number of roles in the NFUS, including the Voluntary Initiative in Scotland, and Scottish Quality Crops. Further members will be announced shortly. I am confident the group will bring forward practical measures which will ensure a sustainable future for Scotland’s cropping sector. I hope that the group will be able to report its findings and recommendations by Spring next year.