Understanding conditionality of agricultural support payments in 2025

PROFESSOR STEVEN THOMSON, SRUC

It’s been seven years since the agriculture champions concluded that “no change is not an option” for Scottish agricultural policy and Fergus Ewing committed to the period of “stability and simplicity”, which is now ending.

Farmers and crofters are used to ‘conditional support’ as all schemes have their unique rules (e.g. calf retention periods, cross compliance, stocking densities, ecological focus areas). These familiar scheme rules are set to be extended from 2025, so it’s worth considering what new conditions will come into play from next year.

There will be new cross compliance rules on the maintenance of peatlands and wetlands. The current GAEC 6 maintenance of soil organic matter will be amended, and some new restrictions introduced, particularly on peatlands (e.g. no ploughing and reseeding, no new drainage, limits on existing drainage maintenance that can lead to drying out of the peatland, no creation of new roads and tracks including vehicle rutting exposing the soil, etc). A peatland layer has been added to the Rural Payments Service land parcel viewer and you (or your agent) should check to see if you will be affected by this.

A new 410-day calving interval condition for the dams of calves claimed in the Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme is being added to the existing 75% beef genetics and 30day calf retention period. This will apply to individual dams of calves and will not be applied as a herd average. Scheme calves born to first calving heifers will automatically be eligible. Currently the budgets are ringfenced, meaning calves meeting the new criteria will get an uplift. ScotEID’s MyHerdStats (scoteid.com) can help you understand how this change might affect your business.

Farmers and crofters claiming support will also need to look towards building their Whole Farm Plan as it becomes a condition of support from 2025. In the long term, this will become a new entry level standard for support payments. For your Basic Payment Support in 2025 you will need to show you have met two of five Whole Farm Plan elements and by 2028 you will need to show you have undertaken all of the Whole Farm Plan elements, including:

Carbon audit (once every five years). All farms and crofts will have to undertake a carbon audit, using one of the specified tools. If you are already doing carbon auditing as part of your supply chain then these can be used to demonstrate compliance. Farmers and crofters will be permitted to submit their own carbon audits – but many will likely need expert advice to get started.

Biodiversity audit (once every five years). In the first instance you will be required to create a habitat map for your farm or croft. NatureScot is developing a habitat mapping App and RPID’s mapping system should have capability and layers to help create maps. If you are a shareholder in a common grazing you will not need to map the common – but common grazing committees or sheep stock clubs making claims on commons (including AECS) will have to provide habitat maps.

Soil analysis (all Region 1 land, once every five years). For soil sampling you won’t need to do tests on seasonal land or on common grazings, nor on fields where you don’t apply fertilisers or manures. However, other land for which you receive Region 1 support will need tested every five years for pH, Phosphate (P), Potash (K) and Carbon.

Animal health and welfare plan (annually). Livestock keepers will have to prepare an annual plan to cover key minimum standards. A vet doesn’t need to sign off the plan, although you need to prove annual engagement. If you haven’t completed one before, speak to your vet, or advisor, first.

Integrated pest management plan (annually). For those who use pesticides or herbicides. A useful tool has been created by the Plant Health Centre for those that predominately grow arable crops, horticulture crops or grassland.

Remember, the Scottish Government will take a light-touch approach to Whole Farm Plan compliance in 2025. They have stated there will be no penalties in 2025, only warning letters issued, which means you have more time to get the ball moving.

Some of you may already be compliant, but for others this may feel daunting and it is important you speak to your local consultant, or vet, or seek Scotland’s Farm Advisory Service (www.fas.scot) support.

I am convinced that these new conditions have a higher compliance cost for those receiving the smallest amounts of support. There is a significant risk that some in receipt of small support amounts may feel this is too much additional paperwork for what they receive, and will withdraw from the support system. Many crofters and farmers are already voicing concerns, so it’s important to keep talking about these issues and advocating for the many small producers that Scotland should be proud of and make sure there is a Just Transition for those most vulnerable to policy changes.