The Scottish Government has offered £50 as an incentive for every farmer and crofter to complete the ‘Testing Actions for Sustainable Farming’ survey, in an effort to prepare farmers for future agricultural policy
The ‘Testing actions for sustainable farming’ initiative (TSF) has been rolled out as the next step in Scotland’s £51 million National Test Programme launched earlier this year with the ‘Preparing for Sustainable Farming’ offer of financial support to farmers and crofters undertaking carbon audit and soil analysis.
We are seeing the second track of the programme is now being launched with a survey as part of the Testing Actions for Sustainable Farming (TSF) initiative.
The Scottish Government said TSF aims to design, test, improve and standardise the tools, support and processes necessary to reward farmers and crofters for the climate and biodiversity outcomes they deliver.
What is the testing actions for sustainable farming survey?
Comprising of multiple-choice questions, the survey hopes to gain an understanding of current awareness and experience of sustainable and regenerative agriculture.
Open up to all farmers and crofters across Scotland those who complete the survey within three weeks of the closing date will be paid a £50 participation fee.
“I would encourage farmers, crofters and land managers to participate in this important programme as we develop the future of Scottish agriculture together” said Rural Affairs Secretary, Mairi Gougeon.
To ensure the survey results represent the “breadth and diversity” of farms and crofts across Scotland, a representative base of participants had already been invited to participate, but now the survey is open to all Scotland’s farmers and crofters – and will be available to take in two instalments from July 7-27, and the second from August 8-28.
The Scottish industry is hoping to shift towards the post-Brexit future of agricultural support, a future system that will be at least 50% dependent on the delivery of environmental benefits alongside food by 2025/26.
