SCOTLAND’S HIGH rainfall and remoteness in relation to markets makes it a special case for extra LFA support.

That was the call made this week by Scottish Lib Dem MEP George Lyon, who is seeking amendments to Europe’s less favoured area rulebook to introduce two extra criteria for defining which areas should receive support in the future.

Mr Lyon’s amendments to the European agriculture committee’s report on LFAs would add isolation – distance from markets and remoteness – and field capacity days – which will reflect the limitations of wet unworkable soils and high rainfall – to the Commission’s current list of eight amendments which focus on soil types as the key determining factor.

The amendments would also require the Commission to allow a phasing-out period for land that would no longer be included in the LFA scheme to allow farmers to adjust to the new circumstances.

He will also seek to add amendments to give the Scottish Government freedom to fine tune the areas to be included in the new map defining LFA land in Scotland.