Call for greater transparency in farm tenancies Market round-up

Farming correspondent

Wednesday 20 June 2012

THE Scottish Tenant Farmers' Association (STFA) is calling for more transparency and reality to be injected into the debate over the future of farm tenancies.

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ROG WOOD

The move comes in the run up to this week's Royal Highland Show, where the body that represents Scottish farm tenants will have a stand in close proximity to Scottish Land and Estates, one of the organisations that represents Scottish landlords.

Nearly a decade on since the 2003 Agricultural Holdings Act was passed, statistics released in January of this year confirm the tenanted sector is in decline.Commenting on the situation, STFA vice-chairman Christopher Nicolson said: "The industry now needs to take a reality check and admit that all is not well. "STFA has members throughout Scotland on almost all estates and has a good picture of what goes on at ground level."While we appreciate many tenants enjoy a stable and harmonious relationship with their landlords, there are still estates where this does not exist. "The full potential of tenant farming and rural communities is being stifled while a barrage of spin tries to convince us otherwise."It is high time the deficiencies in the system were acknowledged and positive steps taken to weed out bad practice."In recent weeks some 'hard clear facts' have come to light and landlords, along with the rest of the farming industry, should be prepared to admit that all is not well with tenant farming in Scotland."If the industry cannot agree the way forward it will inevitably fall upon government to step in and take full responsibility in shaping the future of land tenure in Scotland. The status quo is no longer an option."LAWRIE & Symington sold 12 prime heifers in Lanark on Monday to a top of 259p per kg and an average of 219p (+0.7p on the week), while nine prime beef-bred bullocks peaked at 236p and levelled at 217.8p (+18.8p).Ten prime B&W bullocks averaged 167.6p (n/c), while a young B&W bull fetched 150.5p.In the rough ring, 27 beef cows averaged 153p, while 32 dairy cows levelled at 124p. Nine OTM cattle averaged 132p while two bulls levelled at 129p.Over in the sheep ring, 456 prime lambs sold to £103.80 per head and 235.2p per kg to average 206.5p (-5p), while 123 prime hoggs levelled at 139.8p (-3.2p).There were also 377 cast sheep forward with ewes selling to £126.50 for Texels and £67.50 for Blackfaces to average £67.53 overall (-£6.54).The firm had 12 dairy cattle forward at its fortnightly sale that sold to £2000 for a Holstein heifer and averaged £1635 (+£98 on the fortnight).Wallets Marts sold 812 prime lambs in Castle Douglas yesterday to a top of £93.50 and 238.9p to average 209.4p.A small show of 78 cast ewes sold to £99 for Beltex and averaged £70.03.''

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Call for greater transparency in farm tenancies Market round-up

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