THE CROFTER - Scottish Crofting Federation

1 THE CROFTER rooted in our communityAUGUST 2008 Number 80 InsIde thIs Issue Woodland crofts make the most of SRDP Croft tourism Local food productionCentre page feature on the Shucksmith Inquiry the SCF response frequently-asked questions regulation rights and responsibilitiesAnd much more ..Committee of Inquiry on Crofting final reportNo-oNe iN the Crofting counties will have failed to notice that the Committee of Inquiry on Crofting has finished its work and has produced a final report known as the Shucksmith Report, after the chair of the committee Professor Mark Shucksmith.

2 This important event has received wide coverage in the report presents evidence gathered over a year from relevant sources, particularly from crofters themselves, it puts forward a vision based on the evidence and it makes recommendations on how that vision may be achieved. The main principles of the recommendations are that: the Crofting community should take a greater role in Crofting regulation and development; measures need to be taken to help new entrants, especially younger people, into Crofting ; measures need to be taken to ensure that croft land is used productively; the balance between CROFTER vs Crofting (individual gain vs wider gain) must shift for the greater good of Crofting .

3 The report has been greeted with a range of reactions from scrap the whole thing to this is the best thing to happen for Crofting since 1886 . of course there must be a happy medium somewhere in that range. What is important to note is that this is just a report on the inquiry and we have the power to influence the course the Scottish Government takes. But we must have an agreed position on how we would like reforms to SCF has made it clear that the report is welcome, as it is the culmination of a lot of hard lobbying to get a full inquiry into Crofting following the rejection of the unwelcome draft Crofting reform bill that was foisted upon crofters three years ago.

4 We also welcomed it as the inquiry was conducted in a full and proper manner there was ample opportunity for all to participate and the number of people who turned out for meetings is testament to how much crofters do care about the future of Crofting . We feel that the report does reflect what participants said. However, welcoming the report does not mean that the SCF sanctions all the recommendations. This is the opinion of the committee in response to what they heard and it is up to us to now say whether we are happy with the recommendations.

5 There are certainly rough edges; there will need to be modifications if some of the recommendations Crofting Boundary Extends ARRAN, Bute, Cumbrae and parts of Moray and Highland Council look likely to be designated areas for Crofting , following an announcement from environment Minister Michael Russell in would allow landowners to create crofts or those renting land under the Small Landholders Act 1911 to apply to have their holding declared a croft. Speaking during a debate on the Shucksmith committee report Michael Russell said, Last winter, we consulted on powers under the existing Crofting legislation to designate new areas where Crofting tenure could apply.

6 The consultation proposed that Arran, Bute, Great Cumbrae island and Little Cumbrae island, as well as areas within Moray Council and Highland Council that are not already within the Crofting counties an historical anomaly be so designated. Responses to the consultation, which closed in March, broadly support the proposal for an alignment with the Hie boundaries. Accordingly, i am minded to designate those areas for Crofting tenure, and i expect to move to implement that measure in the coming year. obviously, i wish to ensure a level playing field for all Crofting areas, so i will take forward the future of financial support for them in light of Shucksmith s recommendations.

7 Averting future food crises THe TRiPLe GLoBAL crisis which has affected us the financial crisis, the energy crisis and the food crisis is the red light flashing a clear warning: something is rotten in the global economy. it is warning us that the structural upsets due to past trade and financial practices are too serious and too deep for sustaining the current state for a long time. Croatian President Stjepan Mesi This perfect storm is hurting poor people everywhere and is fuelling inflation, but speculators and those controlling the food system have been making a killing.

8 Profits of the major agribusiness corporations have nearly doubled this year while the right to food of ordinary citizens is being trampled. The almost endemic hunger of 850 million people is now increasing dramatically and thousands are dying daily. There have been food riots in dozens of countries; in Haiti, the senate dismissed the Prime Minister. These are desperate and tragic times for poor people. The crises could cause major political crises globally. Yet governments are seemingly unwilling and unable to address the underlying causes of the long-term food emergency and implement the radical changes necessary to avert future crises.

9 As a recent UN assessment confirmed, business as usual is not an option agriculture needs to move towards smaller-scale, more organic production and fairer trade if hunger is to be eradicated, social equity achieved and environmental stability the United Nations Food Summit in June, heads of state would not admit that the crisis is the result of dominant policies nor did they call for fundamental changes of the failing globalisation project. instead, they proffered rhetorical blandishments about reducing hunger and then recycled commitments and Continued on page 3 Continued on page 3 THE CROFTER , AUGUST 20082 Message from the oLd AdAGe a year is a long time in politics is surely a after succeeding Norman, what would have normally been a period of bedding in and consolidation suddenly became a hotbed of controversy and recrimination largely due to the eagerly awaited Shucksmith Report.

10 Having at the same time taken up a lifestyle choice, after thirty eight years in the harrowing world of business, i soon realised my choice of career as a weaver was not to be the one of my dreams. it is incumbent on me to pay tribute to Norman Leask so ably supported by his wife evelyn. Big in stature, he has become an even larger figure at Holyrood where he enjoys a fruitful relationship with politicians of all persuasions. in his poor CROFTER guise he has brought the issues most pressing to the attention of ministers and civil servants.