[oaklandspigs]

Defra and EU messing around again - anyone in a LFA might want to see if they'll be in the replacement ANC !
 
ANC = Area Facing Natural Constraint - you couldn't make this stuff up !
 
Put in your postcode and it'll tell you apparently
 
http://www.defra.gov.uk/consult/2013/02/01/areas-facing-natural-constraints-1302/
 
 

[oor wullie]

And if you are in Scotland the proposed maps are here;

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/farmingrural/SRDP/SRDP20142012/SRDP201420AreasofNaturalConstraints/AreasofNaturalConstraintANCProvisionalmaps

Interestingly when they mapped according to the EUs criteria nearly all of Scotland was an "ANC" including the good land!

It could be argued that all of the UK is a disadvantaged area as the London government has an aim of doing away with agricultural support and so is not really interested in , or in a strong position to negotiate a good deal for anyone in agriculture.

Further, Scotland is a severely disadvantaged area as we have no representative at the EU negotiating for us.  What little interest the London government has is, perfectly understandably, focused on English agriculture.  As the above maps show (Scotland 85% LFA, England 15% LFA) what is good for those in the south is not necessarily good for those in the north.  Thus Scotland gets the worst deal from CAP of any region in Europe.

Never mind, when I rule the world everything will be different.......

[tizaala]

Why do we take any notice of Defra ? the rest of Europe just ignore the regs, any initiative here is stiffled , In France , Germany ,Italy etc. When a smallholder has an excess of produce they just go along and sell it at the local market, no hoops to jump through, nice fresh veg , cheese etc. Our bloody minded nanny state enforces  these idiotic rules and regs. and kills off any idea of freedom.

[Fowgill Farm]

Why do we take any notice of Defra ? the rest of Europe just ignore the regs, any initiative here is stiffled , In France , Germany ,Italy etc. When a smallholder has an excess of produce they just go along and sell it at the local market, no hoops to jump through, nice fresh veg , cheese etc. Our bloody minded nanny state enforces  these idiotic rules and regs. and kills off any idea of freedom.

especially when Tesco and their ilk are putting all kinds of nasties in our burgers
Mandy

[Rosemary]

And if you are in Scotland the proposed maps are here;

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/farmingrural/SRDP/SRDP20142012/SRDP201420AreasofNaturalConstraints/AreasofNaturalConstraintANCProvisionalmaps

Interestingly when they mapped according to the EUs criteria nearly all of Scotland was an "ANC" including the good land!

It could be argued that all of the UK is a disadvantaged area as the London government has an aim of doing away with agricultural support and so is not really interested in , or in a strong position to negotiate a good deal for anyone in agriculture.

Further, Scotland is a severely disadvantaged area as we have no representative at the EU negotiating for us.  What little interest the London government has is, perfectly understandably, focused on English agriculture.  As the above maps show (Scotland 85% LFA, England 15% LFA) what is good for those in the south is not necessarily good for those in the north.  Thus Scotland gets the worst deal from CAP of any region in Europe.

Never mind, when I rule the world everything will be different.......

Or when we are independent 

[doganjo]

Independence is the only way to rid ourselves of these stupid regulations.

[Cavendish]

Not if Scotland joins the EU if independance is gained, which could be a likely outcome.

[MAK]

I thought that Cyprus was the most severe country categorised as ANC ?
So the Scottish government has done its own map and has MEP representation just like other areas within the EU. There are countries that were in favour of these changes and those opposed to the new system. So it would seem even if you are a member state of the EU ( and areas like Scotland, Wales, Corsica and Brittany all have representation) you get what you are given.

The French info site says that areas must meet 66% of the eight criteria.
matching thresholds against (low temperatures, drought, excessive soil moisture, soil drainage limited; texture and piérosité unfavorable shallow rooting chemical properties mediocre steep terrain).
I could not find the exact criteria (thresholds) but from what has been said on this site most will have had a year of "excessive soil moisture".

[oor wullie]

How CAP money is distributed is organised locally (within the framework laid down by the CAP).  This is devolved to the Scottish government which is why they have to create their own map.

My understanding to political machinations may be faulty but as I understand it......
.
The CAP is not negotiated by MEPs in the European Parlament but by the European Commission.

The Commission is made up of 1 representative of each member state (backed up by millions of civil servants), thus input into the negotiations is controlled by national governments (who pull the strings of "their" commissioner (or more likely "their" civil servants who actually do the work"))
The Scottish government has no input into this process as they are not the member state and so don't have a commissioner.
Scottish (or any other) MEPs have no input into this process either.

So yes, we just have to accept what we are given which is the end result for all countries.  But it is the process of deciding what the priorities are and what future CAP will look like which determines what we have to accept in the future.  The only representation that Scottish agriculture has in this process is through people who are not interested in the outcome for us.
 
French farmers get a much better deal from CAP than we do because the French government is much more willing to defend their corner in these negotiations. 
Those who are supposed to defend Scottish agriculture within the European Commission have no interest in doing so.

In the current negotiations I can picture the French representative thinking "How can I get the best for wine producers?",  The Spanish rep thinking "How can I get the best for olive producers?"  The Danish rep saying "don't forget the bacon producers" and the UK rep saying "well if you can't give agricultural support to City bankers then I suppose I should speak up for some big arable farmers instead.....if I really have to"

[Daisys Mum]

Independence is the only way to rid ourselves of these stupid regulations.

Not a hope if Alec Salmond gets his way.

[doganjo]

Not if Scotland joins the EU if independance is gained, which could be a likely outcome.

We'll join under our own terms.

[Daisys Mum]

Not if Scotland joins the EU if independance is gained, which could be a likely outcome.

We'll join under our own terms.

[Fowgill Farm]

Not if Scotland joins the EU if independance is gained, which could be a likely outcome.

We'll join under our own terms.
isnt that what the UK's been trying to do for years??
Mandy

[little blue]

I think...


... we are Disadvantaged.

(found it abit hard to tell!)