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Future Agricultural Funding: Policy Delivery Group (2021-2024)

Overview

This group is no longer active. The group was formed in 2019 and concluded its work at the end of 2020. The Agriculture (Retained EU Law and Data) (Scotland) Act 2020 delivered stability and simplicity, with the continuation of CAP schemes and payments from 2021.

We set out our proposals for future agriculture funding in its June 2018 consultation ‘Stability and Simplicity’ which follows four principles of stability, simplicity, sustainability and security.

These proposals set out the approach for future rural policy until 2024. It will allow for a five-year transition period, as recommended by our Agriculture Champions, to provide people in rural businesses with as much security as possible.

The approach comprises of:

  • a period of stability, with little change to the current system, until end 2020, followed by
  • a period of simplicity, where simplifications and improvements will be made, and potential new schemes for longer term policy will be piloted, between 2021 – 2024

Remit

The group was established to take forward work on the 2021 to 2024 period. It is an internal working group consisting of policy, delivery, implementation and analytical colleagues. The group will consider the areas currently within the scope of the Common Agricultural Policy (Pillar 1 - Direct Payments and Pillar 2 - Scottish Rural Development Programme).

The intent is to review the current support mechanisms to provide stability and simplicity by minimising the level of change within existing CAP schemes from 2021-2024, while working to identify improvements that will deliver efficiencies and better outcomes.

The approach will reflect the conclusions of the Simplification Taskforce. Any suggestions for longer term policy will be handed over to the Farming and Food Production Future Policy Group. These groups are aligned to enable a managed transition between the different policy periods.

The Agriculture (Retained EU Law and Data) (Scotland) Bill was published on 7 November 2019. The Bill, only required if the UK leaves the EU, enables Scottish Ministers to make regulations to modify retained EU law related to the CAP. It will enable us to deliver the proposals set out in our ‘Stability and Simplicity’ consultation from 2021. This is not intended to represent a major policy shift but rather streamlining existing policy.

Engagement on the draft proposals is expected from early 2020 onwards.

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