John Lamont, Scottish Conservative Candidate for Roxburgh and Berwickshire has this week expressed his disappointment at the low number of successful applications to Scottish Executive’s Rural Stewardship Scheme. And he has warned that by setting the entry threshold for the scheme at an unacceptably high level, Ministers are jeopardising vital local environmental improvements to the countryside in the Borders.
The Rural Stewardship Scheme is an agri-environment scheme designed to encourage farmers, crofters and Common Grazings Committees to adopt environmentally friendly practices which maintain and enhance particular habitats and landscape features.
John Lamont said: “This year, less than a quarter of those applicants seeking funding to deliver environmental projects have been successful, which is very disappointing.”
“The Rural Stewardship Scheme’s conditions are now so difficult for farmers and growers to access that a huge opportunity for enhancing our unique Borders landscape has been missed.”
“Raising the entry threshold for the Rural Stewardship Scheme to an unacceptably high level is in my view little more than the Scottish Executive penny-pinching and as a result putting at risk vital local environmental improvements.”
“Each year, it has become harder to access this scheme, which delivers environmental benefits, sustaining both our growing tourist industry and our countryside, and it is deeply frustrating that the Rural Stewardship Scheme is now so obviously failing.”
“It is essential that a full review of all agri-environment schemes is now carried out, and the long-standing problems of under-funding of this scheme addressed. If we are to capitalise on our beautiful Borders landscape and heritage for the enjoyment of both local residents and tourists, then the government has to honour its own commitment to those who are prepared to deliver this ongoing enhancement.”