THERE is little doubt that the computer debacle has been a huge embarrassment to the Scottish Government, with the storm over its various malfunctions showing no sign of abating.
And farmers can, quite rightly, be excused if they have left any recent missives from ScotGov behind the clock on the mantelpiece to be opened at a later date. However, if you wish to take advantage of the 80% loan of this year’s basic payment, then you only have until next Wednesday to get the form signed and returned (although those issued with an incorrect letter will have a further week’s grace).
Shambolic as the process has been, the computer fiasco is most certainly a gigantic mistake due to individual error.
The same cannot be said for the huge subsidy payments made to the country’s slipper farmers. Despite repeated pronouncements from ScotGov that its intention is to do away with this largesse, it never really tried to get to grips with the problem, hoping that grand words alone would solve it.
Now the whole sorry saga has come back to bite the industry on the bum following Greenpeace’s recent publication of a subsidy rich list. And it couldn’t have come at a worse time.
With Brexit negotiations barely commenced, the last thing UK farming plc needs is publicity surrounding the millions of pounds awarded to the slipper farmers, and the myriad of charities and organisations, who can all survive comfortably without support.
This is a disgrace and is effectively robbing hard working farmers of much needed support.
ScotGov and the UK government must collaborate on this as a matter of urgency and confirm that the slipper farming issue will be put to bed once and for all – and the slippers consigned to the dustbin!