SEBG members are committed to representing the interests of land-based businesses and rural communities.

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• Overview
• Code of Practice

SEBG is active across a wide range of issues relevant to rural Scotland.

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• Sustainable Rural Development
  • - Enterprise
  • - Agriculture
  • - Renewable Energy
• Environment
  • - Natural Heritage
  • - Access
  • - Leisure & Tourism
  • - Enjoy Estates Initiative
• Communities
  • - Housing
  • - Community Facilities
  • - Education
• Built Heritage

• Affordable Housing
• Atholl Glens Organic Beef and Lamb
• Community Involvement - Langholm Initiative
• Deer Management
• Enjoy Estates
• Langholm Moor Demonstration Project
• Letting of Land to New Entrants - A Roxburghe Estate View
• Climate Change - The Role of Estates
• Creating Opportunities for New Entrants
• Focus on Forestry and Timber
• Role of Fishing in Scotland's Rural Economy
• Rural Renewable Energy Conference & Exhibition

Articles, news releases and publications relevant to SEBG.

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• SEBG News
• SEBG News Archive
• SEBG Publications
• SEBG Publications Archive

If you would like to know more about the Scottish Estates Business Group there are several ways you can contact us.

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• Scotland Map Showing Regional SEBG Contacts

SEBG News

Rural development programme needs clearer commitment to farm business development

28th June 2006

The Scottish Executive’s proposed seven-year rural development programme must make a clearer commitment to supporting farm business development and innovation in Scotland, the Scottish Estates Business Group (SEBG) said today (Wednesday).

SEBG published its response to the Scottish Executive’s Environmental and Rural Development consultation on the proposed Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP).

In its submission SEBG said it is vital the programme helps the land management sector “finds its way towards greater viability and a more dynamic future”. The sector also has to have the ability to “service the market effectively and to seek out and take advantage of new and changing market opportunities and business innovation”.

SEBG said also the SRDP needs to facilitate succession arrangements by encompassing ways to attract new entrants into the land management sector and offering assistance to those who want to leave the sector with dignity after a lifetime of service.

However, SEBG is concerned that the proposals for the SRDP as they stand could jeopardise support in key areas.

SEBG’s concerns include:

• Pooling of funds currently available for a range of support schemes, into a central fund which would then be open to wider access under Tier 3 of Land Management Contracts (LMCs). This arrangement would allow the diverting of funds away from land management measures into other areas.
• Insufficient emphasis or priority given to the need to support farm business development.
• Inclusion of farm business development measures in Tier 3, thereby open to a wide range of competing measures and interests with a consequent lack of any certainty of success for applications.
• Implications of local decision-making on consistency of approach to applications.
• Added bureaucracy, slower decision-making, lack of certainty and potential for distortion across the regions as different priorities are followed by different regional interests.
• Implications for the land management sector of the Executive’s intention of increasing modulation above levels required by the EU in order to channel funds into more general rural measures.

Andrew Bruce Wooton, deputy chairman of SEBG, said: “We have no doubt that the Scottish Executive is committed to securing a vibrant future for agriculture and land management in Scotland. However, any proposed changes to the historical regime of support must be considered carefully in the context of the need to maintain and encourage a viable rural land business sector.

“We must take care that, in a climate where EU support will be directed away from Scotland, we do not lose focus and that support in crucial areas such as farm business development is not diluted. This is particularly relevant to small-scale farm businesses which are constantly seeking new ways to diversify.”

 

About SEBG
SEBG represents a group of progressive land-based estates with significant agricultural and rural business interests. It aims to promote a modern business approach in the management of Scotland's land resource in ways which deliver social, economic and environmental benefits. The Group seeks to secure a sustainable and prosperous future for rural areas and its members work hard across Scotland to stimulate enterprise and economic development.

For further information contact:
Ramsay Smith at Media House on 0141 220 6040

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