Grazing on the edge

"THIS WEEK saw the first screening of a new film, ‘Grazing on the Edge’, at the Aros Centre, Portree on the Isle of Skye.

This short film about Skye Common Graziers, Young Farmers, their sheepdogs and a sheep will highlight the importance of upland land use for agricultural, communities and environmental benefits.

Beautifully shot on the Trotternish Ridge and surrounding area on Skye, the film features NFUS members as well as the NFUS Group Secretary there, Jake Sayles.

Made in collaboration with researchers from the James Hutton Institute, the film explores the best practical way to manage land with special designations, like Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs). However, the film has additional historical value, documenting as it does the situation currently facing common grazings.

The James Hutton Institute is part of a research project, which is looking at use of upland grasslands, and how they have been affected by changes in the financial support for hill-farming.

The film gives a useful insight into the challenges facing the management of common grazings and highlights the contribution that active crofters can make in delivering a wide range of public benefits.

Common grazings have been a hot topic of conversation in the last few months and this film should be essential viewing for politicians and policy makers to help them gain a better understanding of common grazings.

Importantly, NFU Scotland have been contributing to the debate. Earlier this year the Skye branch held a workshop specifically looking at common grazings, with the aim of identifying required actions needed to safeguarding their future and those of the crofters who manage them.

We have also undertaken a crofting consultation with our members, with questions about common grazings. More than a third of our crofting members responded and the initial results will be discussed at the next meeting of the Crofting Highlands and Islands Committee on November 18.

Crofting also featured as a point of discussion at the NFUS Autumn Conference at the end of October, with a question directed at Edward Mountain MSP, who is chairman of the Scottish Parliament Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee.

This Committee are in the process of taking evidence on crofting legislative reform and last week I gave evidence on behalf of NFUS. The Committee were interested to hear particularly about the challenges facing grazings committees.

I outlined that it is important that the draft common grazings regulations, which the Crofting Commission issue, should set out the essential requirements that a grazings committee must fulfil. It should then be up to the local Committee what else they want to include in their regulations which are relevant to their local circumstances/area. However, there are some key overarching principles that need to be accepted.

• There should be an attitude of openness and transparency;

• There should be sound financial recording and accounting (as with any voluntary group);

• Best practice procedures should be followed.

NFUS, along with other stakeholders including crofters and grazings clerks, are currently engaged with the Crofting Commission on drawing up best practice for the running of grazings committees and are looking at possible business models that could be adopted.

Well run grazings committees are just one of the challenges facing crofters and their common grazings.

There are many others, which the film ‘Grazing on the Edge’ very ably identifies. NFUS, and others within the Scottish Government Crofting Stakeholder Forum, have identified common grazings as one of the key priorities and we will be working with our members over the coming months to identify appropriate and effective actions.

Common grazings are too important a resource to be abandoned and all of us have a responsibility to make sure that we can secure a sustainable future for them and for future generations of crofters."

Lucy Sumsion can be contacted on 07787 434104 or lucy.sumsion@nfus.org.uk

This column was originally published on NFU Scotland's website: http://www.nfus.org.uk/news/view-from-the-top/crofting-policy-managers-blog-10-november-2016