7th June: Protecting Scotland’s peatlands will be key part of future rural policy

Rural Affairs Secretary re-affirms alignment to EU Common Agriculture Policy (CAP).

Visiting Brussels for EU Green Week, Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon has announced that the protection of peatlands and wetlands will be a condition in Scotland’s future support model for farming and land management. Ms Gougeon said:

“Our vision for Scottish agriculture, published last year, sets out how we will transform support for farming and food production as well as our aim to become a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture.

“The new EU CAP recognises the importance of peatlands and wetlands as stores of soil carbon. Member States must now ensure appropriate protection of wetlands and peatlands from 2023, through the Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition standards 2 (GAECs 2).”