NFU Scotland continues to reject digital grain passports

The introduction of digital grain passports has been dismissed again by NFU Scotland, despite a redesign of the project being put forward to try to address previous concerns by farmers, merchants, and hauliers.

A revised business case was unveiled by the industry-wide leadership group in June, including obligatory feedback of information to growers, a tighter control on finances, and a telephone help desk.

But NFU Scotland (NFUS) has since carried out internal discussions with its membership, which were found to remain generally unsupportive.

NFUS remains part of the leadership group and made its views clear to the wider group on 5 July.

See also: Digital grain passports redesigned to address concerns

Six key test were outlined last year by NFUS that would need to be met before it would back the digital passports initiative, and it does not feel all of these have been met yet.

The tests were related to accessibility, efficiency, cost, data ownership, data usage, and whether it was fit for purpose.

Andrew Connon, NFUS vice-president and member of the industry leadership group, said: “After further consultation with members on the latest business case made for the introduction of digital passports, there remains a strong feeling that the current paper system is functioning well for what our farmers need.

“Broadly, the committee’s view regarding the six tests remains unchanged.”

He added: “There is no doubt that technology is the way ahead for our industry and some merchants are already using technology for feedback on analysis and weights, but technology needs to be proven to have a genuine benefit for our growers and, in the case of DGP [digital grain passports], it has yet to satisfy the six key criteria that NFUS originally highlighted.

“In addition, the grain trade needs to decide what it wants as there are still mixed messages coming from Scottish suppliers, hauliers, merchants and end-users, with some in favour but many others staunchly against the idea.

“With mixed messages from the trade, it is little wonder that Scotland’s farmers are not convinced of the benefits of moving to the proposed DGP.”