Nuair a thug e gu airgead àiteachais tha briseadh dùil gu bhith ann dha cuideigin

Nuair a nochd Humza Yousaf aig coinneimh bhliadhnail Aonadh nan Tuathanach, tha fhios gun robh cuideam mòr air rudeigin le susbaint a ràdh.

Ach, gun sgeul air càil phrataigeach eile, ‘s e bh’ aige ri innse ach gum biodh cùisean a’ cumail a’ dol an ìre mhath mar a tha, le beagan de thaic a bharrachd dha gnothaichean na h-àrainneachd. Ach, cha robh gu leòr ann airson an càineadh a chumail air falbh agus iadsan a bha an dòchas ri barrachd san t-seagh sin mì-thoilichte.

Ach, co-dhiù, bha e a’ ciallachadh gum faigheadh e air falbh bho na tuathanaich gun cus aimhreit ga chuairteachadh… an-dràsta.

Le gainnead adhartais air roghainnean sam bith eile, dh’fhaodadh dùil a bhith ris an naidheachd gun tig 70% de dh’airgead àiteachais a chumail mar a bha, sin le pàighidhean “dìreach” thuca-san a tha an sàs sa ghnìomhachas.

Ach, chan e seo deireadh na cùise. Feumar fhathast obrachadh a-mach ciamar a thig barrachd obrach a dhèanamh airson an àrainneachd a dhion agus aig an aon àm, dèanamh cinnteach gu bheil biadh gu leòr ga àrach ann an seo fhèin.

Leis an t-seòrsa aimsir a tha againn ann an Alba, bu chòir gun gabh a dhèanamh, ach cha bhi e furasta slighe ùr a dhealbhadh, gu sònraichte nuair a tha thu a’ bruidhinn, mar a tha ann an cuid a shuidheachaidhean, mu dheidhinn companaidhean gu math mòr.

Ach, feumar a dhèanamh agus ged a tha na tuathanaich an ìre mhath toilichte leis na bh’ aig Yousaf ri ràdh riutha, thig an là fhathast nuair a dh'fheumar a' cheist a fhreagairt gu ceart.

Tha Bile an Àiteachais an-dràsta a’ dol tro Phàrlamaid na h-Alba. Bha còir gun robh seo a’ dol a chur an sàs dhòighean ùra maoineachaidh às dèidh Brexit, ach ochd bliadhna sìos an rathad agus chan eil e idir soilleir, nuair a thig e na lagh, dè dh’fheumas tuathanaich is croitearan a dhèanamh airson an t-airgead fhaighinn.

Tha an Riaghaltas ag ràdh gu bheil am bile a dh’aona-ghnothach farsaing agus gun obraich iad a-mach na diofar phòitean-airgid nas fhaide sìos an rathad, a-rèir dè na feumalachdan a bhios ann aig an àm.

No dòigh eile air coimhead ris: ‘s e sin gun robh a’ chùis gu math na bu duilghe na bha iad a’ dèanamh a-mach sa chiad àite agus nach eil fhios aca – fiù ‘s fhathast – ciamar as urrainn a rèiteachadh gu dòigheil.

Ged a tha na tuathanaich an ìre mhath sàsaichte an-dràsta, tha fhios aca nach eil ann an seo ach suidheachadh a tha anns an eadar-ama. Tha gu leòr eile, buidhnean àrainneachd is croitearachd, ag iarraidh crathadh bunaiteach air marag an àiteachais agus iad ag ràdh gu bheil cus dheth a’ dol gu na tuathanaich mhòra.

Là brèagha a choireigin, agus chan urrainn dha a bhith ro fhad às, feumar seo a rèiteachadh agus tha a h-uile coltas gur e briseadh-dùil a bhios ann dha cuideigin. Ach dha cò?

English translation:

In the end there was nowhere else to go. Sandwiched between a powerful lobby on one side and a dearth of practical alternatives on the other, there was no option but to wilt.

As Humza Yousaf addressed a hall full of frustrated farmers at the annual conference of NFU Scotland, there was real pressure to say something of substance that would appease.

And with the cupboard of options bare, it was simply a case of “as you were”, with just a slight concession to environmental supporters, but not enough, as it turned out, to prevent criticism from that direction.

But at least it kept the baying farming mob at hands length… for now.

The announcement that 70 per cent of all agricultural funding will continue to be provided in “direct payments” was entirely predictable, given the lack of progress on any other realistic option, but it simply serves to kick the issue into the long grass. Balancing the need to maintain, or even enhance, food production while moving towards environmental obligations still needs to be addressed.

In terms of the environmental commitment contained in the funding announcement, it is a slight improvement, as 80 per cent is currently awarded directly to those involved in agricultural activity and the rest conditional on undertaking certain measures, namely sustainable practices and biodiversity.

A framework Agriculture Bill is currently working its way through the Scottish Parliament. This key piece of already-delayed legislation was designed to usher in a new system of financial support post Brexit. Yet nearly eight years on, there is still no clear direction on what duties farmers and crofters will actually have to undertake in order to qualify for assistance.

Ministers and civil servants maintain that a “framework” Bill, which simply establishes overarching principles, gives them the flexibility to work out the details later according to the demands of the day.

Or an alternative reading might be that the issue is a lot more intractable than they had first pretended. Food production and environmental responsibility should not be mutually exclusive, particularly in a temperate climate like Scotland, but it was always going to be a big ask to marry the two, particularly when big business is involved.

The NFU called on the Scottish Government to maintain payments to prevent businesses from “falling off a cliff edge” and Humza Yousaf obliged.

But everyone knows it’s only a temporary respite. Farmers and crofters understand all too well that the real issue still needs to be tackled in terms of balancing environmental obligations with production and they are desperate for some sort of clear direction.

The Scottish Government and their proxies are rapidly running out of long grass for it to be kicked into.