Tenant Farming Forum asked to take forward Consultation on New Entrants

The First Minister confirmed at a reception hosted by the Scottish Association of Young Farmers’ Clubs on 22nd June that Richard Lochhead, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs has invited the Tenant Farming Forum to take forward a consultation into the barriers and potential solutions for getting new entrants into farming in Scotland.
 
All members of the TFF have stated their support for this initiative and the Forum is pleased to take forward this consultation. The Forum particularly welcomes the Cabinet Secretary's approach in ensuring that any solutions are industry-led by recognising TFF as the appropriate cross-industry body to work with on this initiative. The Cabinet Secretary and his officials have reiterated to the Forum that the Executive would only look at the legislation if other options don't work.

The remit of the Forum's task is:-

• To investigate barriers to new entrants to farming, identify practical solutions and make recommendations, including how these might be implemented in practice;
• To invite and consider the views of people with an interest in the industry; and
• To deliver recommendations to Scottish Ministers by end 2007 with a view to their being published.

The consultation is likely to be launched by the end of the summer.  It is likely that a series of road shows will be held in September to allow a wide range of interested parties to convey their views and ideas.  The TFF’s Recommendations based on the outcome of the consultation will be collated and presented to Ministers by the end of the year.