The long-awaited consultation on Scotland’s upcoming Agriculture Bill has finally had its turn on the printers at Holyrood – the timing of which is overdue for many struggling to plan for the future in a rapidly changing, inflationary market.
Many reading the proposals, however, may be forgiven for thinking it is more of a Climate Change Bill, with limited references to food production, lacking on food security, and even less generous in detail.
Anyone hoping to present the contents to their bank manager to support a business plan will be left wanting.
See also: Scots government sets out plans for future farm support
First impressions feel like it is a proposal more suited for publication in a Green party manifesto.
This is hardly surprising considering the complete absence of ministerial representation at the majority of agricultural events this year, with support only seen at carefully controlled closed meetings.
Clearly there has been plenty of hearing, but not much listening.
The cabinet secretary for rural affairs, Mairi Gougeon, says in her preface to the consultation that she wants Scotland to be a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture.
However, little or no ink has been spent attempting to define what that looks like, with the document merely hinting at the overarching framework of how funding will be distributed, and with worryingly scant detail.
The drafting of this consultation follows years of work from industry stakeholder groups and numerous reports. Hours of time have been committed; some will now inevitably feel they have been hours wasted.
The specially selected industry experts tasked with codesigning and implementing all the ideas of the past – the Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board (Ariob) – are described at the beginning of the consultation as the “architects” of the bill.
Farmers will rightly ask whose side they are on, and feel those at grassroots level no longer have a say, with any critical voices overlooked and silenced.
Some could even be led to question if Ariob members just toe the line to ensure future invitations to work with government.
So, what does this all mean for the future? So much has been promised, but so little delivered. Some businesses may turn away from financial support, preferring to operate through market forces, intensification or diversification.
Many, however, may choose to turn away from agriculture altogether, feeling years of toil, experience and passion isn’t suited to the government’s vison, or lack thereof.
Whatever happens, I feel like this opportunity to take Scottish agriculture into the modern age, using its assets and the skills of its people, has been wasted.
The government seems to have only listened to views which suit its own narrative, and not considered what is already being so easily achieved on farms around the country.
To me, this proposed Agricultural Bill is far too focused on revolution rather than transition.
As external pressures on farming businesses build over the winter, the hope that a sympathetic government will step in to help will have been discarded upon reading.
Some farmers may look at us in Scotland with a hint of jealousy – a government that appears receptive, says all the right things, and rails against the injustices of a corrupt Westminster.
But the reality is we are ruled by two parties at opposing ends of the political spectrum (the SNP and the Tories). They are clearly two cheeks of the same arse – drunk on populism with no grasp of reality.
