Agriculture, Current Challenges Facing the Sector and the Opportunities

As an amendment to motion S4M-14327 in the name of Richard Lochhead (Agriculture, Current Challenges Facing the Sector and the Opportunities), leave out from second “notes” to end and insert “considers that Scottish agriculture, in particular the dairy and sheep sectors, is experiencing a financial crisis; recognises the importance of the new CAP Pillar 1 payments to crofters and farmers and calls on the Scottish Government to ensure that these are fully paid in December 2015; welcomes the cross-party support that exists for a fairer allocation of the £190 million convergence uplift provided to the UK as a result of Scotland’s below average area payment rates and commends NFU Scotland for consistently making this case; believes that the Scottish Government should explore how it can use its significant public sector procurement powers to promote the use of Scottish produce; calls on the Scottish Government to work with the UK Government to further strengthen the powers of the Groceries Code Adjudicator, championed by Liberal Democrats in the last UK administration, to enable the adjudicator to investigate the supply chain from farm gate to dinner plate; welcomes the record growth in Scottish food and drink, but calls on the Scottish Government to ensure a fair deal for all farmers and all parts of the supply chain.”