Voice For Farming New Entrants

12th September 2012

A new expert panel has been established to advise the Scottish Government on how more new entrant farmers can be supported to access opportunities to take up farming.

The New Entrants Advisory Panel meets for the first time today and will advise Government on support and assistance for new entrants, including the position of new entrants under the next Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP), as part of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms.

Announcing the development to farmers and stakeholders at the New Entrants Summit in Edinburgh today, Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead said:

"I'm passionate about the need to attract more new entrants to farming, but despite our innovative approaches under SRDP - such as being the first administration to introduce a dedicated new entrant scheme - fundamental problems remain. That's why we need real change through the CAP reforms.

"Generational renewal is vital to any industry and farming is no exception. Therefore I'm delighted that the New Entrants Advisory Panel is up and running, fulfilling a pledge in our 2011 farming manifesto. I'd like to thank all the members for giving up their time to be involved and lend their expertise.

"The key focus of the Panel will be on support arrangements for new entrants in Scotland. This includes not only direct financial backing, but also other forms of assistance, such as advice or training.

"One barrier is a lack of new farm units. Therefore it's great that Forestry Commission Scotland have set out plans today for a further three new units under their Starter Unit initiative. I hope to see more such opportunities in the years to come.

"When I travel around Scotland and meet young farmers - such as in Orkney earlier this summer and my visit to the Dumfries Show - I see the enthusiasm and dedication they have for their industry. If we can harness and support this then the future of Scottish farming looks bright."

NFU Scotland President, Nigel Miller said:

"We welcome the creation today of the New Entrants Panel and hope that it mirrors the success that NFUS has had with its New Generation group. We are at a crucial period in policy development, we need to get new people into Scottish farming and having a direct route for this group to future proof policy is of value. This group will represent a different generation, they won't be constrained by traditional thinking and they will be looking to push the boundaries for the long-term good of Scottish farming."

The membership of the panel is as follows.

Group Chair David Barnes: Scottish Government Head of Agriculture
Jim Simmons: Banffshire farmer, founder the New Entrants Group
Andrew Stevenson: Fife farmer, NFUS New Generation Group
Iain Mackay: Isle of Mull farmer, NFUS New Generation Group
Stephen Vickers: Group Strategy Director, Buccleuch Group
Fiona Benton: Scottish Borders farmer, Scottish Tenant Farming Association
Douglas Bell: Senior Agricultural Policy Consultant at the Scottish Agricultural College