Fears that Scottish farmers may face crop diversification demands they cannot meet have been dispelled by a senior European Commission official.

Agriculture spokesman Roger Waite said there was every chance of the commission changing its Common Agricultural Policy (Cap) greening plans if Scotland identified the problems it could have in meeting them.

Current Cap reform plans would force all EU farmers to grow at least three crops to end the monocultures that have appeared in parts of the EU, and maintain as permanent pasture any grazing land kept in grass for five years.

But the regime could force significant issues in Scotland where, for climatic reasons, many farmers could have difficulties meeting the three-crop demand.

Significant acreages of occasional arable land could also be lost as grass in Scotland is often used as part of a longer crop rotation process.

The commission's proposal would mean any fields kept in grass for more than five years reverting to permanent pasture and farmers being banned from cultivating other crops in them. The rules, as they stand, could potentially cut arable output and reduce the tonnage of spring barley, the key ingredient in both Scotch whisky production and winter livestock rations.

Responding to questions from the Press and Journal, Mr Waite said while the goal was to secure a political agreement on the overall aims of the Cap reform package, there would be a chance for specific concerns to be raised in follow-up discussions on technical matters.

He said: "It strikes me that one of the important priorities of the negotiations will be to identify practical problems The final decision on crop diversity will come after the political agreement.

"The idea is certainly not to end barley cropping for Scotch whisky or threaten it."

Source: World-Grain