Chamber and committees

Yes.

We know that the agri-environment climate scheme largely delivers on its objectives. It has been a really important scheme for our farmers. I emphasise that that is where we are currently working. The national test programme is in place to offer an incentive for businesses, if they are not doing so already, to look at their performance in relation to carbon audits and soil testing. We have also provided funding this year for animal health and welfare plans, and we want to expand that in the future. It is important that individual businesses get their own baseline information to see how they can improve from that point.

Funding does not come only from that scheme. You will be aware, as I am when I visit farms and crofts across the country, of the different actions that are being undertaken and the work that is already under way to reduce emissions and enhance nature. The coming agriculture bill will set out the overall powers that are needed to establish a framework for future payments, and there is more detail to come about that.

Those are huge concerns going forward, because we have no certainty on what the funding will be beyond 2025. As much as we can set out our thinking about what a future framework might look to deliver, we do not have clarity about the funding for various schemes in the future. We are still trying to engage with the UK Government in that conversation in order to get clarity and certainty but, unfortunately, those discussions have not taken place.

No, because it is not possible to say that. Without having a budget and without knowing what will happen over the course of the next year, we do not know what those potential savings might be.

Craig, do you want to come in?

On the point about AI and how we utilise new technology, you are absolutely right; I am sure that that will be part of the consideration that is happening right now in relation to the science and innovation strategy and how we can utilise the advances in technology.

We are not currently considering a moratorium, because we have undertaken the work on the future catching policy and published the outcome of the consultation, and I think that we have opportunities through that route. Tackling discards is a complex issue—there were around 385 exemptions to the initial rule that made it hard to comply with. In the future catching policy, therefore, we set out what was essentially a way of tailoring the policy to the different parts of our fishing industry in order to simplify it and make it more transparent and easier to comply with. That piece of work has been important, and I think that it will make a significant difference.

I believe that that work is currently being undertaken by the fisheries management and conservation group, which is considering in more detail how we can develop the policy and take it forward. I think that that will be the key to getting to grips with those issues.

Yes.

It has not been published yet.

No problem—I am happy to do that. We have £5 million in the budget to support the work of the Farm Advisory Service, which provides that kind of bespoke advice as well as more generic advice. It has been really important with regard to the advice that it can offer farmers and crofters.

However, it is not only the Farm Advisory Service that is important here. We know that peer-to-peer learning, knowledge transfer and innovation are really important, too, which is why we have put in place the knowledge transfer and innovation fund—or KTIF—to support various knowledge transfer projects. For example, we have supported the funding of monitor farms, which we know are very well received. Sharing that experience and learning is important for the businesses involved, and we are addressing the issue through a variety of funds.

I also emphasise that we know how important skills advice and continuous professional development are. That came through strongly in the consultation on the future agriculture bill. Earlier this year, I announced that work would be undertaken by the James Hutton Institute and Scotland’s Rural College on what a future system of agricultural knowledge and innovation might look like. They published their research at the start of the summer, and we are keen to see what we can take from it and what options we can develop as part of the future framework.

I have a small amount of time, if that is okay.