Question reference: S6W-09316
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 24 June 2022 Registered interest
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Current status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 6 July 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will match the amount of grant funding that it offers to farmers and crofters through its Agriculture Transformation Fund with that of the UK Government’s Slurry Infrastructure grant.
Answer
The full amount of the Agriculture Transformation Fund of £5 million, which is part of wider transformative actions including the National Test programme, has been allocated to the Sustainable Agriculture Capital Grant Scheme (SACGS) 2022 which will provide support for low emission slurry spreading equipment and slurry store covers only. Support for slurry infrastructure is offered through the Agri-environment Climate Scheme (AECS) which provides support to farmers and crofters within the SEPA identified priority catchments. Retaining the arrangements for the slurry storage options under AECS reflects the overall capital picture for 2022-23 which is more constrained than in previous years.
Agriculture is devolved and it is for each part of the UK to develop policies for its own circumstances. We will continue to support the rural economy with stability and simplicity until 2025 and we remain committed to supporting active farming and food production with direct payments. EU Exit means we no longer have long-term certainty of funding and unilateral choices imposed by HM Treasury provide insufficient replacement EU budget. The support offered reflects this position and the available budget.