NFU Scotland calls for dairy contingency plan
NFU Scotland has called on the UK government to prepare a contingency plan for the dairy industry as the voluntary code of practice has not been as effective as hoped.
At the union’s first face-to-face meeting with farm minister David Heath yesterday (Wednesday 6 February), president Nigel Miller said the voluntary dairy code of practice had not worked as well as it should have, and it was time to develop a plan B.
“NFUS is pushing for the UK goverment to explore a contingency plan, including legislation, in case the code fails to achieve its intentions. NFUS maintains that the best way of strengthening and developing the dairy market at home and abroad is to increase trust in the supply chain,” said Mr Miller.
The union urged the minister to consider the specific needs of Scottish farmers, during CAP reform negotiations.
“NFUS is pushing for the UK goverment to explore a contingency plan, including legislation, in case the code fails to achieve its intentions. NFUS maintains that the best way of strengthening and developing the dairy market at home and abroad is to increase trust in the supply chain.”
Nigel Miller
“We emphasised Scotland’s particular needs under the next CAP, especially the possibility of using options to couple payments and the importance of areas of natural constraint payments, which are the modified successor to our critical less favoured areas support scheme,” said Mr Miller.
Both the union and Mr Heath agreed there was a need to support active farmers and target money at areas and sectors which needed it most, especially as Scotland moved to a new area-based payment system.
“We also reiterated the importance of ensuring that new entrants and anomaly cases are supported from day one of the new CAP,” said Mr Miller.
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