Plan template will help farmers and crofters

A new template has been designed to help crofters and farmers as they plan how to meet new support requirements.

The move comes ahead of the introduction of the Whole Farm Plan, which will gradually be phased in next year.

While crofters and farmers will still be eligible for the same schemes as previously, the plan calls on producers to undertake at least two baseline plans, or audits.

Now, advice has been drawn up by vet Karis Johnson, who has been working with Osla Jamwal-Fraser of SAC Consulting to help ease the pathway for isles producers.

“When we first discussed this project, we were really concerned about being able to draft suitable plans for the hundreds of businesses in Shetland that would need one within the time frame available,” she said.

“When we began, it quickly became very clear that the Shetland template would be useful not only for the Whole Farm Plan but also, and perhaps more importantly, in sharing best practice and encouraging folk to proactively plan Animal Health and Welfare interventions in a way that has maybe not always been the norm.

“The plan is structured to be easy to self-complete and contains everything you need to meet a good standard of health planning in our local context.

“Although we will also be offering the opportunity to complete the template in small groups or individually with the help of a vet.”