Farmers’ union calls for continuation of goose management schemes

NFU Scotland has called on the Scottish Government to commit to continue funding Greylag goose management schemes.

The Union is supporting calls from goose groups in Orkney, as well as in Tiree & Coll and Uist, regarding the funding of adaptive management pilot schemes for Greylag geese, as well as stressing the urgent need for a clear plan for the long-term management of Greylag and Barnacle geese.

The union has also said that, with large populations of geese establishing themselves elsewhere in Scotland, it has asked the Scottish Government to make provision for supporting new but necessary pilot schemes in other parts of the country.

In the letter to Scottish Government, NFU Scotland’s Vice President Martin Kennedy highlighted that the proposed winding down of the adaptive management pilot on Orkney would not only affect farmers and crofters but impact on efforts to improve water quality on the islands.

Mr Kennedy added: “Goose management continues to be a vital but resource intensive exercise in many of the most economically fragile parts of Scotland where grazing by large populations of geese challenges the viability of farmers and crofters.

“We are acutely aware of the competing pressures on all public-sector budgets, but we firmly believe that existing funding levels for each goose management scheme or pilot project must be maintained until ways can be found to effectively and efficiently manage goose populations to sustainable levels and keep them there.

Mr Kennedy added that if existing or new areas provide appropriate evidence on the need for new management schemes, the union believes any new funds should be allocated rather than being top sliced from existing goose schemes.”