Stevenson Raises Farmers' Concerns On Beef Scheme With Finnie

Banff & Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson has written to Agriculture Minister Ross Finnie with concerns on the national beef envelope plan following meetings with farmers and NFU officials where the issue was raised as one of great concern.

Mr Stevenson commented:

“Ross Finnie must take farmers’ concerns about the effect of the Beef Envelope proposals seriously. The distorting effect will damage everyone involved in the industry and destroy our chances of re-establishing Scots Beef as a significant international product.

“That the NFU had its largest response ever to a consultation exercise with over half its members physically turning out to meetings to express their view gives some indication of the depth of feeling which exists on this subject.”

In his letter to Mr Finnie, Mr Stevenson also challenges the Minister on ignoring the results of SEERAD’s own consultation:

“I understand that SEERAD’s own consultation produced a similar result and I am disappointed therefore that you did not pay heed to the results of your own department’s consultation exercise. My farming constituents should be very interested in understanding your reasons for commissioning a consultation and then ignoring the results.”

Mr Stevenson has called on the Scottish Executive to reverse the decision to implement the scheme or, failing that, to introduce it at zero per cent in order that the expected difficulties can be identified and neutralised without causing hardship to farmers.