The Scottish Agricultural Survey, the results of which were released today, paints an overall positive image of Scottish farming. The results reveal profitability for the past financial year is up to 87 per cent of respondents, the highest level in the survey’s 16 year history.

The survey was conducted by the Bank of Scotland between December and January; a range of farmers of different types were asked for their opinions on various issues affecting the agriculture sector.

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Although expected investment for 2012 remained similar to 2011 plans, respondents in all sectors except beef production said they were considering expanding their business. This runs contrary to the results of Defra’s Farm Business survey, released last week, which forecast income rises in every sector, including beef production, except for pig and poultry farming.

The general mood seemed to be one of cautious optimism, with 71 per cent revealing positive expectations for future profits and the highest level of farmers remaining profitable without the single farm payment for three years (34 per cent). The bank said the level of optimism revealed in the survey was up to a 16 year high.

Results showed farmers wanted the Scottish government to do more to generate renewable energy. The respondents said that, whilst they were principally generating renewable energy from wood biomass, wind and solar, planning permission was extremely difficult to obtain for wind and water projects. Nevertheless, almost a quarter of the farmers who responded said they were considering investing in wind power this year. Scotland has a significant amount of Europe’s potential for generating wind and tide power.

The farmers who responded favoured linking single farm payments to production rather than environmental consideration, under the reformed Common Agricultural Policy, which conflicts somewhat with the results of a consumer survey conducted last year, in which 86 per cent of respondents said they felt farmers have a role to play as custodians of the countryside. An overwhelming 90 per cent of respondents to the Agricultural survey said they felt payments should be reserved for ‘active farmers’, though many agreed that there should be a cap on the amount a single farm could receive.

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