The Scottish Government

The Custodians of Change report (Custodians) was produced by the Agriculture and Environment Working Group (AEWG) in response to "Action Point 41" in the publication--Forward Strategy for Scottish Agriculture

The minister welcomed its publication at the 2002 Royal Highland Show.

Access to the report can be obtained by clicking on:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/agri/aewg-00.asp

The Agriculture Strategy Implementation Group (ASIG), which the minister chairs, decided at its meeting of 7 October 2002 to establish a single task group comprising officials and relevant external parties to provide advice which would contribute to a full ministerial response by mid-December 2002.

With the minister's agreement, the Scottish Executive's response was published on 20 January 2003 (with a supplementary report on 24 February 2003) when the minister wrote to members of the AEWG and informed the Rural Development Committee of developments by writing to the convenor. Parliament was advised on progress by means of an arranged parliamentary question and the response was publicised at a morning media launch.

To view the response click on:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/environment/coch-00.asp

for the supplementary report click on:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/environment/secoc-00.asp

SGRPID are committed to driving the custodians agenda forward, in line with the strong commitment to environmental sustainability which runs through the Executive's new partnership agreement and its specific impact on the more rapid development of environmentally sustainable farming.

We will creatively implement further action in light of the "Custodians," report and other policy developments, in particular the current reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.