The National Farmers' Union of Scotland has criticised the financial payments on offer to farmers under a
European Union early retirement scheme and has called upon the Government for proposals more appropriate to the industry's needs.
In a response to a
Government consultation paper the union's livestock commodity director, Richard
Henton, points out that the scheme does not meet Scottish needs.
It was originally devised as an optional part of the 1992 McSharry reforms with the aim of improving farm viability through increasing the size of holdings.
''It does nothing to address the principal problem facing us here in Scotland today - namely how to let financially hard-pressed producers leave the industry with dignity,'' said Henton.
The scheme is restricted to producers between 55 and 65 years of age and is designed to be of maximum benefit to holdings of up to 24 hectares. The lump sum payment for early retiral would be capped at #28,100.
Those who opted instead for an annuity could qualify for up to #9363 a year which would cease when they reached pension age.
The NFUS argued: ''As farm sizes in
Scotland are, on average, the largest in the EU it is questionable whether a scheme with the primary aim of increasing the size of holdings is needed here.
''Our misgivings are reinforced when it is remembered that support for large holdings could be capped under the Agenda 2000
proposals.''
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