Part of the debate – in the Scottish Parliament at on 6 January 2016.
I regret that, in my conversations with the European Commission about greening measures, we made little headway in persuading the European Commission to accept our equivalence schemes or to allow us to escape the straitjacket of the three-crop rule, which is affecting Scotland’s arable sector because it is inappropriate for Scotland. The European Commission attached conditions to the equivalence measures that have made them unattractive to Scottish farmers. Therefore, we have no option but to seek further changes later this year. We welcome the fact that the European Commission has agreed to review the greening measures in the common agricultural policy, and we will take full advantage of that opportunity to get them changed in Scotland’s favour.