Rural Scotland People, Prosperity and Partnership

AGRICULTURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Farmers and crofters are responsible for managing some 75% of the land area of Scotland and they have a significant role as custodians of the countryside. The traditional landscapes and the rich variety of wildlife found in Scotland's countryside have been very largely shaped by the hand of farmers over the generations. The farming community also relies on the fertility of their soils and an adequate water supply for their crops and livestock and it well appreciates the need for stewardship of these vital natural resources.

We seek to help Scottish farmers and crofters to protect the environment and ensure careful use of natural resources by:

  • giving guidance on best practices in environmentally friendly farming, in particular through Codes of Practice on the:

    • Prevention of Environmental Pollution from Agricultural Activity

    • Safe Use of Pesticides on Farms

    • Good Upland Management

  • supporting advice to the farmers and crofters on conservation and environmental management through the Scottish Agricultural College and the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Groups with Government financial assistance, channelled through Scottish Natural Heritage. The Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group has increased to 19 the number of local advisers throughout Scotland;

  • funding an extensive programme of environmental research directed to understanding the interaction between agriculture and the environment.
We recognise that there is a case for payments to be made to farmers and crofters where environmental benefits can be obtained from agricultural management which goes beyond the needs of good farming practice. We launched the Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) Scheme in 1987, initially in two areas of Scotland, to provide payments to farmers if they agreed to an integrated programme of conservation management and works on their land. Since then, the Government has used the Agri-Environment Regulation, which formed part of the 1992 reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, as the basis for expanding the ESA Scheme in Scotland so that it now operates in 10 separate areas and also covers 20% of the land area and to introduce a number of new schemes.

One cause for concern in the countryside is the use of pesticides. The Scottish Agricultural Science Agency contributes to the monitoring of pesticide levels carried out by the Working Party on Pesticide Residues, which supports the approvals process for pesticides. The Advisory Committee on Pesticides offers advice on the safety of pesticides when Ministers are considering approvals. We are committed to minimise the use of pesticides through the use of these rigorous approval procedures, through guidance to users and through research and development and are working towards guidance on guidance on integrated pest and crop management.

Since 1988, farmers have been able to obtain capital grants for environmentally beneficial investments such as hedge planting and the repair and re-instatement of stone dykes and vernacular buildings through the Farm and Conservation Grant Scheme. The Government considers that there may be scope for integrating this Scheme more closely with the Scottish Agri-Environment Programme with the aim of extending the range of conservation incentives available to farmers and crofters in Scotland. Work is currently in hand on the development of proposals which would provide the framework for a comprehensive and integrated conservation scheme which would also contribute to the rationalisation of the agri-environment programme. Subject to the availability of resources, the Government will consult on its proposals for a new Scheme.

The Scottish Agri-Environment Programme

Country Sports

Much of our apparently wild landscape has been shaped by those who over the last couple of centuries have come to enjoy country sports. Often our moors and forests are the direct result of investment by landowners, who in past times may have earned that money furth of Scotland. These working landscapes are the envy of the world and, while the sports enjoyed may not be to the taste of all, it cannot be denied that without that care and investment our wildlife might very well not be nurtured as it is today. Once again, those landscapes can bring benefits to a wider community. Studies have shown that field sports support a considerable tourist business, with shooting alone accounting for over 50,000 visitors in 1988. Angling for salmon and trout makes an important contribution to the economy, particularly in rural areas. These fisheries, particularly those for salmon, have an international reputation which attracts fishermen far and wide. In 1992 the total contribution of British sportsmen in 1992 to the Scottish economy is estimated at £40 million with half as much again coming from overseas.

Forestry and the Environment

Indicative Forestry Strategies

Glenlivet Estate

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Reviewed 21 April 1997