Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale MP David Mundell has described the European Parliament’s approval of the Common Agricultural Policy deal as good news for South of Scotland farmers.
The new deal, which comes after long difficult negotiations, means that the key decisions on the future of farming in the next CAP period will be made in Scotland.
Under the deal some of the money withheld from big industrial farms will be redistributed to smaller farms, with an emphasis on those that use eco-friendly methods.
This week Mr Mundell urged the SNP to do its bit to ensure the reforms are implemented in the best way possible for Scottish farmers.
This decision was a good outcome for local farmers and the Scottish Government now had to get on with working out how it will implement the Reform Package.
He added: “The Scottish Government will have full flexibility to introduce a Scottish CAP so it must now tell Scotland’s farmers how it intends to do this.
“That flexibility has been achieved on greening, on the transition to area-based payments and
on funding for new entrants, and the latter especially, is something which has been raised with me by farmers in the constituency. Getting new blood into the industry is essential for its long term survival. Now the Scottish Government must get on and deliver.”
The local MP explained that significant progress on regionalisation of the CAP meant that Scotland would be able to take decisions on CAP to suit its particular needs. Scotland would now have a strong local voice for agriculture as part of a unified UK voice ensuring clout at the EU’s top table through being the third largest Member State.