National School for Crofting

That the Parliament urges the Scottish Government to conduct a feasibility study into the establishment of a national school for crofting to teach traditional and modern crofting techniques and to provide a centre of excellence in research and development into agricultural methods in marginal rural areas; suggests that the money from the sales of Beechwood, Knocknagael and Balrobert farms, if they are sold, could be ring-fenced to purchase a new property in the west to be used as the campus for the project; believes that a new farm could be the basis for a renewed bull hire stud, and further believes that the establishment of a national school for crofting would play a major role in the future of crofting and help secure the economic and social future of the crofting counties.