70% of Scots funding to be through continued direct payments

Scottish farmers are set to benefit from a continuation of direct support for the next five years – some of it linked to production – as part of the new Rural Support Plan published by the Scottish government on Tuesday (24 March).

The document sets out a “four-tier” post-Brexit support arrangement, which agriculture minister Jim Fairlie says will deliver for climate, nature and sustainable food production.

See also: More details of additional Welsh SFS layers revealed

“By working with the industry, we have avoided any cliff edges in payment support and we will build on this as the support system evolves,” he said.

“Stability does not mean no change. But where we have the powers to protect and support the agricultural industry, we are doing just that with the most generous direct support package in the UK.”

Four-tier scheme

The future support framework consists of four tiers, with a phased transition from April 2026 to March 2031:

Tier 1: Base will provide direct payments to support active farming – starting off with the current Basic Payment Scheme which will be developed over time.

Tier 2: Enhanced will support farmers and crofters whose agricultural practices do even more for climate and nature, building on the standards established in Tier 1.

Tier 3: Elective will support action that creates and/or protects habitats or species or improves business sustainability, with a focus on actions for climate change and nature restoration.

Tier 4: Complementary will help to grow skills and capabilities, including training and advice.

In the short term, existing support schemes which are already familiar to the sector, will be delivered through the various tiers.

That means that 70% of funding will be made through direct payments – though farmers and crofters will need to do more for climate and nature, for example through enhanced greening measures and new calving intervals for the Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme

Future developments linked to climate change mitigation and nature recovery will also maintain a focus on active farmers and crofters, said Mr Fairlie, and will seek to support the “vital network” of small producers.

Response

The new framework has been described as “an important step forward” by NFU Scotland, which says it “locks in” commitments to continued direct support, alongside a move to multi-year funding.

“That provides a level of stability and certainty that is vital for farm businesses as they plan, invest and adapt for the future,” said NFUS president Andrew Connon.

“It is also encouraging to see the clear emphasis on direct support, recognising its importance to the viability of many farming and crofting businesses.”

Delivery will be key, he added, with more detail still needed on how schemes will operate within the new framework and how existing support will transition to the new system.

Mr Connon also red-flagged the “static” £677m budget over the next five years, which would amount to a real terms cut as input costs continued to rise.

Conservative shadow rural affairs secretary Tim Eagle also expressed his reservations, describing the framework as “nothing more than a word salad”.

“Farmers and crofters were expecting clarity on environmental schemes, whether payments would be capped or front-loaded on basic support, whether the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme would be rebased, and what specifically would be given for new entrants or young farmers,” he said.

“Alarmingly, this document shows real-terms cuts every year for the next five years.”