|
Back to SOCIAL,
ECONOMIC, POLITICAL Homepage
Silage grass in May 2004 at Cultybraggan
James Irvine
Cultybraggan Farm, Comrie, Perthshire
Filed 16 May 04
©www.land-care.org.uk
Planning how much land should be devoted to silage
and how much to be sown as barley has been especially difficult
this year in view of the major uncertainties created by the Common
Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform.
This is especially the case in relation to farms,
such as Cultybraggan, whose main activity is the production of quality
suckler calves. Such farms are under serious threat as no longer
being viable. Applying the degree of derogation that is allowed
within the regions of the EU, Scotland has opted for total decoupling
from production. The consequence is likely to be that the practicalities
of beef production in Scotland will resort to the cheapest possible.
Scotland is world famous for its quality beef, but sadly this is
likely to be lost through excessive cost as the market is flooded
with commodity beef from abroad as well as from Scotland and the
UK generally. The reality is that quality livestock farming for
the commercial market will decline in Scotland. The Scottish Executive
in conjunction with the EU will than have achieved not only the
loss of its fishing industry but also the loss of its international
reputation for quality beef.
A rolled silage field
in May at Cultybraggan Farm. The farm has some 70 acres of silage
grass.
Rolling puts down any stones that might catch the mower/conditioner
when the silage is harvested
For an enlarged view Click
Here
Excessive attention is being paid to green issues
which are largely irrelevant to Scotland on account of its excellent
long-term record for conservation and biodiversity throughout most
of the land. We are told that decoupling from production would reduce
bureaucracy, but this is a serious fallacy. Quality livestock farming
in Scotland cannot survive without subsidy. The EU/Scottish Executive
is drastically transferring subsidy from production by farms to
environmental and other rural issues. Although superficially appealing
to the public (the voters), many of these environmental schemes
are of dubious value.
What is likely to happen is that the volume of
quality production of quality calves will fall below the level required
to support it in terms of the services needed. What is also likely
to happen is that the health status of Scottish livestock - and
that of livestock in the UK generally - is likely to decline even
further from its present serious state as economies in livestock
production take effect.
A 'natural' conservation border to a
grazing field at Cultybraggan Farm.
This beautiful foot path is under threat from Perth & Kinross
Council who refuse to limit access to cyclists and large groups
of people until such time as damage has been demonstrated.
For an enlarged view Click
Here
The irony is that as subsidy is reduced for livestock
farming in Scotland, the environment is likely to be the worse for
it. The pressure will be to go in for economy of scale - range farming,
in other words. This has never been good for the environment and
we are likely to see short-term artificial-looking patches of grant-assisted
"environment" as approved by such bodies as Scottish Natural
Heritage whose track record on knowledge of farming is little short
of abysmal.
The radical change in the rules emanating from
the EU for leasing summer grazing creates further great uncertainty
in planning for the future of the suckler herd at Cultybraggan -
and indeed the sheep flock. According to the new EU regulations
this has to be for 10 months instead of the traditional 7 months.
Presently Cultybraggan takes 189 acres of summer grazing and has
done so for a number of years. Is this going to be available next
year and at what cost? When will the precise rules be known?
At present the option is being left open to reduce
quite drastically in early 2005 the Cultybraggan herd (consisting
of Aberdeen Angus and Limousin pedigrees and crosses) so that the
farm is not dependent on leased summer grazing. The production of
quality cattle cannot be turned on and off short-term, although
commodity beef production with poor health status can.
The last year of the Suckler Cow Premium Scheme
is due to start in July 2004. It has therefore been decided to maintain
the suckler herd at Cultybraggan at about the same level, but probably
not to purchase any replacement hoggs or rams so that the flock
will be reduced by about 30% next year. It is much easier to build
up a flock of sheep than it is to build up a herd of quality cattle.
It is my prediction that the loss of the many quality
suckler herds that are relatively small in size (as opposed to ranch
farming that is being encouraged) will bring about more environmental
loss than any benefit that might come from so-called environmental
subsidies.
Subsidy hunting would demand seeking out grants
for environmental schemes. But in this part of the world these are
largely a nonsense on account of its already high environmental
status. It is much more rational to improve the pastures even at
the cost of some environmental value, so as to try and maintain
quality production of cattle albeit on a smaller scale. After all
it has been good farming over the years that has maintained much
of Scotland's cherished landscape - not environmental planners with
little or no knowledge of - or indeed interest in - farming.
In the context of silage fields it is important
for the public to know what their function is and how they are managed
for that purpose. They are there to provide winter fodder for the
farm livestock, especially cattle. It is highly expensive in terms
of materials, labour and capital equipment to produce good silage
that also conforms to necessary environmental standards. Yet Scotland
Land Reform Act with its Access Code presently before ministers,
would have it that all sorts of activities by large groups of people
and their dogs and horses can more or less do what they like on
it until such time as the grass is "ankle high" when,
in the opinion of the Access Forum, it might be susceptible to damage.
At a meeting chaired by the then chairman of the Access Forum in
Scotland, I asked from the floor if the public were aware that wet
grass with sodden soil is more liable to damage than when conditions
are dry. The Chairman - a professor of rural law (mainly involved
in planning) answered that "it was a new one on him".
If the Chairman of the Access Forum does not know what responsible
access is, how can the general public be expected to know? Unless
the farmer does a regular check for litter in the some 70 acres
of silage at Cultybraggan what is to stop litter in the form of
plastic getting incorporated into the silage with potentially disastrous
results for the cattle, while sticks thrown for dogs foul up the
mowing equipment. But worst of all is broken glass.
It is my prediction that the loss of the
many quality suckler herds that are relatively small in size (as
opposed to ranch farming that is being encouraged) will bring about
more environmental loss than any benefit that might come from so-called
environmental subsidies.
© www.land-care.org.uk
|
