Agriculture, Current Challenges Facing the Sector and the Opportunities

That the Parliament notes the hard work and dedication of the men and women working in Scottish agriculture but recognises the current challenges facing the sector; notes the Scottish Government’s commitment to deliver 2015 CAP Pillar 1 payments as soon as it is able to do so, following the payment window opening on 1 December 2015; calls on the UK Government to allocate Scotland a fair share of Europe’s new €500 million market support package; further calls on the UK Government to revisit its decision not to allocate Scotland the full £190 million convergence uplift provided to the UK as a result of Scotland's low payments, and for an urgent resolution to the negotiations with the UK to repatriate the industry's red meat levies to Scotland; acknowledges the record growth in Scottish food and drink and calls on all parts of the supply chain to benefit, and welcomes the Scottish Government's call for UK and Scottish ministers, along with farming leaders, to jointly approach UK retailers and food service companies to secure a fair deal for farming.