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NFU SCOTLAND has warned farmers and crofters are being consulted on future agriculture policy for the nation in an information void.

When the proposals for a new Agriculture Bill were launched at the end of August,the union said the detail needed on eligible support options were not part of the consultation process.

President Martin Kennedy said: NFU Scotland has been unequivocal that the new powers must be used to target future direct support at active farming and crofting both to provide financial stability through post-Brexit turbulence and severe market volatility and to reward actions that improve productivity and build resilience.

Only with the buy-in of farmers and crofters across Scotland can Scottish Government turn the dry legislation of a new Agriculture Bill into practices that deliver for food, climate and nature but we need to know now what those options look like.

The demand for clarity came as the union was locked in another row with Scottish Government over a delayed Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) advance.

In June, Scottish Government announced that the payments, originally scheduled for October 16, would be brought forward to September 19, but it transpired that the parliamentary order to release the money was only tabled on September 18.

Speaking last Friday (September 23), NFU Scotland vice-president Andrew Connon said: Scottish Government has failed in its duty to let farmers and crofters know that the delivery of vital support payments, widely expected this week, has now been delayed until next week.

The delay in the Basic Payment Scheme and Greening payments coming forward is causing much distress for some members who have been promising suppliers and banks that monies would be in accounts this week and bills would be settled.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: These claims are untrue. We announced in June that farm payment dates would be brought forward to September in an effort to support Scotlands farmers with cash flow and cost of living crisis and we have delivered on our promise.

The statutory requirements to allow this change came into force on 18 September and officials immediately began work to issue payments from the next working day.

More than 14,000 businesses have already benefited from this change, more than 320 million has been paid out with money due to hit bank accounts from 28 September.

The first tranche of payments have substantially exceeded forecasts and are significantly ahead of previous years."