Direct Payments on Common Grazings

1. Executive summary
Common grazings are important for the delivery of public goods in Scotland and for 20% of IACS businesses, concentrated especially in socio-economically Fragile Areas. Under the current implementation of direct payments, graziers on sole use and common grazings get the same reward for the same historic activity. Under the proposed reform of the CAP, it is likely that this will change – most common grazings users will lose out since the areas they can claim in IACS are less than they use in practice. On average common graziers will get only 2/3 of the payment per hectare grazed compared to their hill farming neighbours, but some claimants could lose 95% of their potential payment. At present an estimated 177,000 ha is managed but cannot be claimed by the graziers.