30 July 2006, S.E.E.R.A.D. Offices, Oban, 12..30
Present
Angus MacFadyen(Chair), Jacqui MacLeod (Crofters Commission), Fergus Younger (Agricultural Strategy Manager),Allan Nicol (SEERAD), Ross Lilley (SNH),Lucy Sumsion (FWAG) David Kerr (ABC),Kevin Williams (ABC) Marina Curran-Colthart (Local Biodiversity Partnership), Lisa Webb (NFU), Keith Miller (Forestry Commission), Samuel Kyeremeh (SEPA), Rory Colville (ABC), Catherine McNally and Heather Anderson (ABC Minute Secretaries)
Aplogies
Alan Minshaw, Catriona Bell, Jamie Mellor, Alistair Barge, Jane Fowler, Steven Dott
Actions From Last Meeting
Minutes of 13 June 2006 were approved.
Lucy reported that she has attempted, unsuccessfully, to contact Michaela Clelland of SEPA re the Waste Seminars.
Sam undertook to mention this to Michaela.
Meeting Minutes
Argyll Area Agriculture Strategy Development Manager Update
Supply Chain Network Proposal
Fergus explained it was a staged approach, initially the website,surveying food producers and consumers and it was intended to produce a report on the findings by mid-September.
Local Food Festival
To be held in Lochgilphead on Saturday 09 September 2006
hopefully becoming an annual and bigger event.
Strategy Update
Fergus handed out an update to August 2006. In future this will be a regular item on the Agenda. Strategy review at end of year.
Rural Calendar
This will be an on line system on the Rural Business Ring Website. Launch planned end of October 2006.
Press
More direct contacts with the local press to be established
by Fergus. Catriona Bell’s input to be maintained and increased.
AOCB
Local Procurement. Fergus and Audrey Martin had met with
Dilys Leckie and Liz Paul (Hungry for Success). A cluster of
Local schools to be identified, local suppliers approached and this to be used as a pilot project.
4. Crofters Commission Report
Jacqui advised that the time allocated to the Crofting Reform Bill was up at the end of September 2006. Jacqui undertook to ascertain the position regarding Livestock Improvement Scheme capping of payments.
5. Bragleenmore Farm Day Report
Very successful day held at Angus McFadyen’s hill sheep farm. 4 workshops held throughout the day. 70 people attended. Three other days being held on similar basis. Report to be produced in Autumn. Future conference to be held.
6. Rural Development Programme
Angus read out an e-mail from Jane Fowler
(following the meeting note e-mailed to Forum Members)
It was agreed that Angus would write to Scottish Executive making representations about the extended boundaries of
RPAC’s and that Argyll and Bute is to be grouped with Stirling.
Meeting proceeded to item 9 on Agenda
9. LBAP – Land Use Demonstration Projects Update -Lucy
4 events held during Summer attended by 20 – 30. A report
was produced for each event and an overall report outlining
key themes will also be produced. SEERAD will get report.
7. Animal Transport Strategy – David Kerr
As yet no Agency has been established to assess/authorize
drivers ahead of the timescale of January 2007.
Lisa handed out a submission on The Welfare of Animals
during Transport: Consultation on the Implementation of EU
Regulation 1/2005
Angus reported that he had a successful liaison meeting with
Caledonian MacBrayne and was meeting with them again in
October .It is hoped that a document can be produced and distributed to each individual Captain giving standard guidelines.
8.Abattoir at Avenvogie in Islay – Update
Catriona’s e-mail report was circulated
David Kerr reported that this was looking very feasible with 50% of the funding in place. Future visit by Forum to be considered. Kevin to check position with planning application and advise Angus.
10. Members Updates
Angus
In view of the updated Strategy, Fergus now being in post and the requirement for future funding for the post discussion took place about the possibility of more synergy between the Forum and the Rural Business Ring. Angus to speak to Alistair Barge at AIE before 06/09/2006.
Keith
Scottish Forestry Grant Schemes which was due to close in September was closed in June to new applications. An announcement is expected in December regarding the launch of the new scheme in Spring 2007.
Kevin
The majority of the Local Plan has now been finalised. The consultation period for the remainder of the Plan is due to end shortly.
Ross
Coastal Marine National Parks – number of areas being considered over the next few weeks consultation is in the form of a road show or via the website.
Marina
Biodiversity Outing on 04 September 2006 to Garvallochs still few spaces on 1 boat – all welcome.
Freshwater Projects – sink link survey will be completed by end of September 2006. Two workshops to present the survey findings will be organised later in 2006.
Reed bed – negotiations are about to begin with two interested parties.
This year a new class is being considered by Scotland in Bloom for Biodiversity and Marina will have more information about this after 13/09/2006
The Biodiversity Partnership A.G.M. is on 01 November 2006 in Cairnbaan.
Lucy
The first Argyll FWAG Forum event is due to take place on Wednesday 27 September 2006 at Kilmartin Hall followed in the afternoon by a farm visit to Killinochnoch Farm. All Agricultural Forum members are invited to attend.
Argyll FWAG has recently secured 75% funding from the Scottish Executive Sustainable Actions Grant Scheme for a new pilot project in Argyll – the Sustainable Farm Tourism Project. Depending on what additional funding can be secured there will be a minimum of 10 pilot farms or crofts. The project will involve each farm/croft receiving a one-to-one farm visit with advice, followed by
· A summary farm report
· A review of management
· The provision of information packs/chests for participating farms and
· A farm leaflet and annoted farm trail maps for the tourists to use
· Workshops for farmers
Argyll FWAG along with Fergus Younger and Lisa Webb have been looking at the possibility of organising a study tour visit to Orkney (as mentioned in the Strategy)
Lucy circulated copies of the FWAG Scotland magazine.
Rory
Rural Business Ring going from strength to strength. Meeting with AIE on 06 September 2006.
11. AOCB
Discussion took place as to the input and membership of Farmers on the Forum. The meeting discussed the possibility of holding evening meetings in order to facilitate farmers being able to attend, but the Forum decided not to consider this further. This led onto a general discussion about raising the profile of the Forum and how the information from the Forum meetings was distributed (including distribution of Minutes) It was agreed to discuss this further at the next meeting.
It was agreed that Andy Robertson from R.S.P.B. should be invited to attend the next meeting. (Heather to contact)
Rural Skills in Schools – Fergus to contact Liz Paul re presentation at next meeting.
12. Date of Next Meeting
TUESDAY 14 NOVEMBER 2006 IN SCOTTISH NATURAL
HERITAGE OFFICES, LOCHGILPHEAD at 12.30
For access to all the documented minutes since May 2007 please click here.
