DECEMBER 2012 Number 97
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1 Scottish Crofting Federation THE CROFTER rooted in our communities The journal of the Scottish Crofting Federation, the only member-led organisation dedicated to the promotion of crofting and the largest association of small-scale food producers in the UK DECEMBER 2012 Number 97 If centralising Equity in area payments abattoirs has for common graziers? It’s CAP reform time again, comments Gwyn ago is nonsense, this should be good news failed, it’s time to Jones. for marginal areas. The crofters’ case is a S ALWAYS crofters have a lot to good one. go back to local fi ght for and seldom have the winds There is one fl y in the ointment which is Aof change been so strong – a real potentially a big problem for some claimants. provision challenge and opportunity for SCF. The It’s an issue which is very diffi cult to solve main change in this reform is in the direct and which, perhaps for that reason, perhaps T’S NOT SO VERY LONG AGO that payments – today’s single payment, to be for others, is receiving almost no attention. every small town in Scotland had its renamed the basic payment – which will The affected producers are those who are Islaughterhouse and most livestock and move to a uniform regional payment rate. shareholders on common grazings where mixed farms had their own slaughtering I was going to say “rather like LFA”, but not all the shares are used for claiming facilities for supplying the local market and “as LFA is meant to be” would be more direct payments. home consumption. appropriate in a Scottish context. These claimants in effect manage the Scotland has followed a policy, as with the For the fi rst time ever, the basic payment whole area of the grazings and would be UK, to centralise meat processing, with fewer rate will be formally complemented by judged on the agricultural and environmental and larger plants scattered over Scotland. new payments in the LFA – now also to be condition of the whole area, but are only paid But that model appears to be failing, with renamed Areas with Natural Constraints on the basis of their shareholdings plus any abattoirs closing or planned large-scale (ANC). Since even in the department the shares temporarily reallocated to them by plants not even being opened. The time has mood seems to be that linking rates of subletting or by the grazings committee. This come to re-assess the situation. support to claims or activity twelve years Continued on page 2 The number of abattoirs in the UK has been gradually declining for many years, from 1,900 in 1972 to 290 in 2007. In March 2012 the Food Standard Agency listed 32 licensed red meat abattoirs in Scotland plus two micro on-farm facilities. Having few, large-scale slaughterhouses hasn’t been satisfactory for the smaller producer in particular, for many reasons. Here are three for starters. First, having slaughtering facilities spread widely across rural areas means that the transport times for animals are unreasonably long. For example the Skye and Lochalsh area has been without an abattoir for over twenty years, resulting in animals being transported for up to three and a half hours to Dingwall or a two hour ferry crossing to Lochmaddy. Second, fewer abattoirs means less competition – which results in a consequent attitude towards service. Some companies scorn the small producer and offer a poor Continued on page 7 Martin Benson © INSIDE THIS ISSUE Crofting – the next generation · New Crofting Commission convener Our next project. by demand for building plots, puts them out of · Croft house grants debate For now we are calling it Crofting – the reach of young, aspiring crofters, except where · Membership feature Next Generation. there is the opportunity of family assignation. The age profi le of crofters and their SCF’s innovative new project will focus · Crofting register communities is a real concern. As SCF is on ways to attract and retain new, younger · Wwoofi ng constantly emphasising, for crofting and crofters through access to land, affordable · Public liability on the croft crofting communities to survive and prosper housing, support networks and sustainable there needs to be a strategy to attract and income streams. · Bringing unused ground back into use retain new, younger crofters. A summary of the achievements of the SCF’s In most of the crofting areas the infl ated price Crofting Resources Programme, which recently and much more... of crofts (tenancy or owner-occupation), driven reached its conclusion, can be found on page 5. 2 THE CROFTER, DECEMBER 2012 THE CROFTER, DECEMBER 2012 3 Message from the chair... Derek Flyn Steady as she goes Looking to the future Susan Walker has been appointed a director of the Camuscross and crofting communities to recognise Parting words from Crofting That’s why a strong, effective convenor from amongst the new Duisdale initiative, she understands the multiple benefi ts that can be Commission chief executive representative and lobbying with the Crofting commissioners. Susan is known well the need for action. So, with its had from sitting down together. Nick Reiter organisation is so essential. It may to us as an active crofter; but enhanced powers and duties and I am pleased that our own future seem odd for a government agency HEN I WAS appointed Commission convener more than that, she is an activist, with its new leader, we are already is now more secure. There are now to stress that. Of course there to the Crofters previously lauded for being the co- seeing the Commission tackle four new members on the SCF have been differences of views Commission in 2007, I T SEEMED LIKE a long wait “The fi rst nine months in the life author (with Iain MacKinnon) of The absenteeism and dealing with the board, namely Roddy MacDonald W between the Commission and the was told that it had gone through but at the end of September of the new Commission have been State of Crofting in Camuscross in neglect and misuse of crofts. from South Uist, Iain Keith from SCF – which incidentally changed a lot of changes and now needed Iminister for the environment a whirlwind of activity, centred on August 2009. This remarkable and It was heartening to fi nd at the Caithness, David Smith from its name during my fi ve years – not a period of “steady as she goes” and climate change, Paul regulatory decision-making, building timely piece of work focused on September Crofting Law Group Shetland and Finlay Matheson even that was a constant. But far consolidation. It did not take long Wheelhouse, announced the contacts with other organisations the problems of her own crofting conference in Portree that SCF’s from Strathcarron. They bring more often we have agreed on the for me to realise that the changes appointment of the fi rst convener and the preparation of a plan, which township and informed the Scottish activity towards community with them an enormous amount of needs of crofting in the 21st century; had only just begun. of The Crofting Commission. will guide us through the coming Parliament during the later stages mapping was held in such high knowledge and experience and I and there is I believe an improved As I take retirement some Based on Skye, Susan Walker years and expresses our aspirations HIS HAS BEEN a season of the law reform process. Indeed regard. It is a pity that our efforts look forward to working with them. understanding of our different roles. fi ve years later, we have two has been an active crofter for and ambitions for crofting. The plan for adjustment. one suspects that it could have are not being properly funded. We Fiona Mandeville (vice-chair), On a personal level I have always new Crofting Acts in operation; thirty years and is honoured sets out how we will make decisions After fi ve years as been the reason for the duty to learnt that the national Crofting Paddy Zakaria and Norman Leask found all the representatives of T a new, mostly elected Crofting to be leading the organisation in line with the legislation and chief executive of the Crofters report now on the statute book. Register will open on time on 30 make up the remainder of what I the SCF courteous, helpful and Commission; a new statutory plan, at a time of accelerating explains the benefi ts when crofting Commission, the retiral of Nick Reiter SCF members should be sure to November and how it will collect believe to be a strong team. enthusiastic and I’d like to express hopefully approved by the new change. Susan commented: is consistently and fairly regulated in feels like the loss of a friend. Certainly read the Camuscross report to map-based information on every The real strength of our my gratitude for that. minister by the time you read this; “We have a formidable team of line with government policies. he has been a friend to crofting understand where Susan is coming croft and every common grazing. organisation is in its members. It’s tempting for a departing even a new HQ location. I would commissioners and we have a “One of the provisions in the during a period when crofting has from, in more ways than one. But we at SCF have been hoping The board is keen to encourage chief executive to leave some say to my successor, whomever real opportunity to help shape Crofting Reform (Scotland) Act, been preparing for change. In the face of reports of active for more. When crofters set out area and branch activities and parting words of deep wisdom and that will be, that what is needed the future of the Commission passed in 2010, which we know Following the creation of the crofting being in decline, parts of to map their land it can be the will respond positively to any insight.