Radical crofting report welcomed

13 May, 2008

THE CROFTERS Commission could be abolished and all Scottish agricultural subsidies be reviewed, following yesterday’s (Monday) long awaited publication of a “radical” report into the future of crofting.

Crofters welcomed the recommendations drawn up over 17 months by the government appointed Committee of Inquiry into Crofting under Professor Mark Shucksmith¸ which included Ollaberry crofter Jane Brown.

Amongst its recommendations are:

* abolition of the Crofters' Commission and the creation of a new Federation of Local Crofting Boards;
* tying all croft houses to residency;
* ensuring all sub-lets and tenancies be approved by the Local Crofting Boards;
* making Registers of Scotland responsible for maintaining the register of crofts;
* reviewing agricultural subsidies including Single Farm Payment, the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme and the Crofting Countries Agricultural Grant Scheme.

Shetland MSP Tavish Scott argued that food production should be at the heart of reform of crofting.

“Consumers are concerned by rising food prices. Farmers and crofters now need government to accept that the world has changed. That means a fundamental reappraisal of agricultural support,” Mr Scott said.

“It is time to recognise the failings of the Scottish Rural Development Programme. Does it help and encourage livestock production? A new agricultural policy is need and crofting is a cornerstone of that policy in Shetland.

“But reform of crofting must be about food production, the need for livestock crofts to be supported in Shetland and elsewhere and a determination by government to overcome obstacles, such as state aid rules, to achieve these goals.”

The Scottish Crofting Foundation congratulated the inquiry team for “producing such a thorough and radical report at this crucial time”, describing it as a “faithful reflection of the views of crofters”.

Chairman Neil MacLeod said: “The report echoes many of the policy initiatives pursued by SCF over

the last few years, such as on Less Favoured Area support, crofter housing, assistance for younger new entrants, strengthening and simplifying regulation and democratising the regulatory process.

“An inquiry such as this only takes place perhaps once in a generation, so we are very pleased to see that the committee has fully recognised the social, economic and environmental importance of crofting, and we look forward to legislation being brought forward to enact their proposals.”

The foundation particularly welcomed the calls for crofting to be regulated by locally elected boards; for a fair allocation of Less Favoured Area support; retention of the support schemes unique to crofting; a new and enhanced Croft House Grant and Loan Scheme; measures to ensure active use of crofts; assistance for new entrants to obtain crofts and access entitlements to support schemes.

Environment minister Michael Russell called it “the most significant report on crofting for the past half century”.

Mr Russell said: "The government will now consider the recommendations of the report carefully and begin its work on a response. I look forward to debating the issues in Parliament later this week.”

Mr Russell said that if the government accepted the receommendation on crofters being resident on their crofts, that could apply from the date of publication yesterday. This could restrict applications for consent to assign crofts or decroft land, insisting future owners lived there or worked the land.

Labour’s shadow rural affairs minister sarah Boyack said crofters should be allowed several months to digest the recommendations.

Her colleague Peter Peacock added: "We will also be probing the detailed implications of the more radical recommendations to examine their implications for local crofting communities.

"There are a number of matters in the report that the government could progress quite quickly and will be welcome across the crofting counties.

"The government has also been given the opportunity to consider changes to its rural development programme that will better suit crofters, not least in addressing housing issues and attracting new crofters.

“We will be looking to the government to make improvements to the rural development programme and other positive short term changes as well as address the wider questions raised."