Rural and Environment

  • Coverage on UK Agriculture Bill

    13th November 2018 by

    Today, various media outlets are running a piece calling on the Scottish and UK Government’s to break the “current political log-jam” on how to agree future policy, financial frameworks and repatriation of agriculture powers.

    The pieces call for “meaningful progress” to be made on the legal mechanisms required to make agricultural payments in the immediate aftermath of Brexit, and follows a letter published by NFUS Scotland president Andrew McCornick to Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing and DEFRA Secretary of State Michael Gove.

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  • Another busy Summer recess

    3rd September 2018 by

    Summer recess provides a welcome opportunity to get out and about in Scotland, attending shows from the Highlands to the South West, visiting communities and businesses and hearing first-hand how things are in our rural economy.

    Every conversation I have, I am struck by the creativity and resilience farmers, crofters and food producers have shown in responding to the challenges this year’s weather have brought. I am truly impressed with the way that people and communities have pulled together to tackle problems and help each other out.

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  • Stability, certainty and simplicity in rural support

    22nd June 2018 by

    “No change is not an option.” However unpalatable that may be to some in rural Scotland, that was one of the conclusions of the Agriculture Champions and a premises echoed by the National Council of Rural Advisers (NCRA) recent report. Change is therefore inevitable and we must now decide how radical we wish to be, and importantly, how fast we wish to change.

    I believe our rural businesses and communities deserve a semblance of security and this consultation sets out options to try and achieve this.

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  • Crofting update

    12th April 2018 by

    This government is determined not to allow crofting to be simply a relic of our past: crofting must have a purpose and a role in our present and our future.

    That purpose is to support people to remain on the land and to bring people back to the land, with crofting also playing a role in creating a sustainable and productive environment in which people can live and work. To achieve this, crofting needs an effective regulatory and statutory framework.

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  • Commitment to environmental principles

    6th November 2017 by

    The UK Government should maintain EU environmental principles post Brexit or risk undermining the substantial international progress Scotland has made, Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham has said.

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  • International Day of Forests

    21st March 2017 by

    Today is the UN International Day of Forests 2017. The Scottish Government is committed to planting more trees. We have taken action to increase our planting targets from 10,000 ha a year to 15,000 ha by 2025.

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  • City greenspaces

    15th February 2017 by

    I am committed to continuing action on biodiversity protection, habitat restoration and encouraging our citizens to live more active and healthy lifestyles. Earlier this week, right in the heart of urban Scotland, I saw this in action.

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  • Ambitious climate change plans

    25th January 2017 by

    Roseanna Cunningham highlights the policies and proposals at the heart of the new draft Climate Change Plan.

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  • Musings on Marrakech

    17th November 2016 by

    The recent US Presidential elections may have put the international spotlight on the Paris Agreement but for me it was very much business as usual at this year’s UN Climate Change Conference in Marrakech.

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  • Climate change challenges

    14th November 2016 by

    This week I’m in Marrakech to discuss how nations can work together to tackle climate change.

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