WHAT CAN SRDP DO
FOR CROFTING
AND SMALL UNITS?
Partners
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Crofting Commission
Scottish Crofting Federation
NFUS (Crofting Committee)
SNH
RSPB
HIE
European Forum on Conservation and Pastoralism
SLE
Aims
• Contribute to review of SRDP
• Explain issues of access to SRDP by crofting/small units
• Demonstrate need for crofting/small units to access SRDP
Crofting/small unit statistics
The geographic distribution and number of holdings by
extent (in hectares), Scotland
Size of holdings
LARGE HOLDINGS
CROFTS/SMALL HOLDINGS
4,503 holdings are 200+
hectares
9% of total holdings
4.26 million hectares of area
76% of total agricultural land
? people
26,728 holdings less than 10
hectares
51% of the total
90,602 hectares of area
1.6% of the total
33,000 people on 18,027 crofts
Crofts and Common Grazings
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18,027 crofts
5 hectares average size
1050 common grazings
538,000 hectares common grazings
10% of the farmland in Scotland
Crofting in decline
• 32% decline in ewe numbers
• 35-60% in some parishes
• 11.4% decline in cattle
Croft use
43% decline
in croft use,
Trotternish
1970-2008
Decline in cropping
Area of grass conservation (hectares)
% decline oats & potatoes
% decline in grass conservation
Decline in common grazings committees
918 total number of common grazings
Common Grazings with committees in office
2003 - 853
2005 - 630
2011 - 573
2012 - 512
Crofting/small unit access to SRDP
8 measures in SRDP
4 are relevant to crofting/small units:
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Rural Development Contracts - Land Manager Options (RDC-LMO)
Rural Development Contracts - Rural Priorities (RDC-RP)
Crofting Counties Agricultural Grant Scheme (CCAGS)
Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS)
Crofting/small unit success with SRDP
Approved:
• 327 cattle options applications
• 411 conservation plans
Of those:
• 158 were linked with the retention of cattle option
• 169 linked with the introduction of cattle option
• 84 stand-alone successful conservation plan applications
Potential applicants (under 10 ha holdings):
• 26,728
Of which
• 18,027 are crofts
Common Grazings uptake
From a sample of 214 common grazings
Approved:
• LMO
4.8%
• Rural Priorities 5.6%
CCAGS uptake
Year
Financial value(£ millions)
REASONS FOR DECLINE IN UPTAKE
05/06
3.007
• All proposals require competitive quotes
06/07
4.287
• Grant paid on actual costs only
07/08
1.990
• Reduction in grant rates
08/09
2.308
• Loss of replacement fencing grant
09/10
1.130
• Loss of rotational reseeding grant
Crofting and natural heritage
Within Crofting Counties
70 % of land in Scotland designated as NNRs
60%+ of land in Scotland designated as SSSIs
Highest values of High Nature Value Farmland in Scotland
Common grazings account for 20% of HNV
In Scotland
2% of land in Scotland designated as NNRs
13% of land in Scotland designated as SSSIs
Socio-economic impact of crofting
18,027 crofts
Occupied by 10,000-12,000 crofting households
Home to 33,000 people
POPULATION DECLINE
Western Isles:
1991-2000 - 10% decline
Shetland:
1991-200 - 4%
Up to 20% decline from peripheral, crofting
areas to Stornoway and Lerwick
Socio-economic impact of crofting
Croft income
Up to 1950s, significant percentage of household income
Studies 1999-2008 suggest:
4-20% of household income
Study of 43 crofts:
1998 over 50% recorded negative incomes
1999, 30% recorded negative incomes
Desire to continue crofting
Respondents:
…indicated considerable reluctance to consider
giving up agricultural activity on the croft, but most
indicated they could not sustain it if it was actively
costing them money on a continuing basis.
(Crofting in the 21st Century: A Report for SEERAD)
Recommendations for SRDP
• Enhanced CCAGS
• Programme for Crofting and Small Units
Enhanced CCAGS
RETAIN:
Retain existing scheme grant rates LFA 50% & NLFA 40%.
Retain existing scheme eligible items and operations
Retain 10% grant enhancement for under 40yrs old applicant.
PROPOSE:
Reintroduction of standard costs.
10% grant enhancement for New Entrants (over 40yrs old) for works identified in
a 5yr plan of improvements.
10% grant enhancement for capital works on common grazings
Reintroduction of grant assignation to contractor for common grazings.
Scheme for on-croft small-scale renewables (non FiTS)
did not receive full consensus.
Rural Land Management Programme
For Crofts and Small Units
• Non-competitive
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Two components:
• Land cultivation and maintenance options
• Whole Township Review
Programme eligibility
• Max 20ha of in-bye land for all units
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In the case of crofts:
Includes apportionments
Excludes grazing share
Classified as extensive defined at a stocking
level density
With an elected grazing committee and
approved set of grazings regulations
Land cultivation & maintenance
Options:
• Land Cultivation and Maintenance Management Plan (template)
• Grassland Management
Species rich grassland management
Open grazed or wet grassland grazing for wildlife
Forage conservation management
• Environmental grazing
Introduction of breeding cattle (2 minimum)
Retention of breeding cattle (2 minimum)
• Rotational cropping traditional
• Management of water courses
Common grazings options
Common Grazings Moorland Management Plan:
• Facilitation for establishing committee
• Five year management plan.
Designated Site land management activity options
Carbon capture and storage land management
including the restoration peat lands
Moorland Activity Management
• Muirburn
• Away wintering
• Bracken control
• Environment cattle grazing
Common grazings options
Common Grazings Moorland Management Plan:
• Facilitation for establishing committee
• Five year management plan.
Designated Site land management activity options
Carbon capture and storage land management
including the restoration peat lands
Moorland Activity Management
• Muirburn
• Away wintering
• Bracken control
• Environment cattle grazing
Common grazings options
WHOLE TOWNSHIP REVIEW
• Review and baseline land activities
• Develop 5-year plan
• Identify opportunities for new entrants into crofting
• Identify opportunities for traditional and alternative
activities
Common grazings options
WHOLE TOWNSHIP REVIEW
• Review and baseline land activities
• Develop 5-year plan
• Identify opportunities for new entrants into crofting
• Identify opportunities for traditional and alternative
activities
Additional measures
Young Crofters/Farmers
Using provisions under Articles 8 and 20 for New Entrants
Rural Priorities delivery model:
£100K considered too high
Suggest:
• >£20 (non-competitive)
• £20k - £50k (some competition)
• £50K - £100k (fast track route as proposed)
? Small-scale capital investment for
non-croft holdings
“Small changes in remote rural areas can
have significant consequences”