CROFTERS should present a united front in their campaigning for post-Brexit agricultural support and the pending review of the Less Favoured Areas support scheme.

In its first meeting of 2020, the board and council of the Scottish Crofting Federation outlined its priorities for the year ahead – and called for crofters to rally round its 'organisation set up by crofters, run by crofters, for crofters'.

SCF’s chair Yvonne White commented: “Leaving Europe on January 31 will bring many challenges with regards to trade of meat and croft produce, and agricultural support – especially the support of the LFA which is due to be reviewed this year.

"It is absolutely imperative that crofters join together under one banner to protect our rights," she urged. “We have had some significant wins in the past year, not least our campaign that got the convergence funding more fairly distributed. The benefit to crofters of this increased share of the rebate will pay for their subscription of SCF many times over. And there is the distribution of the second tranche yet to fight for.”

Ms White pointed out that discussions surrounding climate change will continue to dominate the agenda and stressed that crofters will have an important part to play in environmental stewardship.

"Most high nature value areas in Scotland are under crofting tenure, for example machair, known for its incredible biodiversity, and peatlands, which are the best ecosystem for sequestering carbon," she continued. "And of course crofting produce is the finest quality and eco-friendly”

The National Development Plan for Crofting will be finalised in the next year and despite crofting law reform being moved to the back burner for now, she urged members to keep a 'watching brief'.

“As always, many things that affect crofting are discussed in ‘stakeholder’ meetings and are therefore open to competition from other sector representatives,” concluded Ms White. “It is essential that crofting is represented by the organisation set up by crofters, run by crofters, for crofters.”