Direct Payments Consultation

Overview

Recent agreement on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) in Europe means that direct payments in Scotland will need to change from 1^st January 2015. The new requirements will cover the period up to 31^st December 2020.

From 2015, instead of just one main direct payment for farmers, the Single Farm Payment (SFP), several new types of direct payment to eligible farmers will be possible. Some of these payments will be mandatory whilst others are optional. Further infomation can be found in the general introduction link below.

Why your views matter

The purpose of this consultation is to help us decide exactly how we implement direct payments in Scotland from January 1^st 2015. We have done a great deal of analysis since the Commission first published its draft proposals.

The consultation below covers all aspects of future direct payments and it sets out to gauge how you feel about the various options which are open to Scotland in implementing the new requirements. There are also opportunities for you to provide additional written comments. You can save a partially completed response and return to it at a later date if you wish. You can complete as much of the consultation as you wish.

What happens next

The consultation closes on 7th March. The Scottish Government will announce its decision in 2014.