§ 34. Mr. Alasdair Mackenzieasked the Secretary of State for Scotland, in view of the imbalance in arable farming, due to the high profitability of cereal growing compared with livestock rearing, if he will now take steps to increase the profitability of livestock to redress this imbalance and improve the standard of husbandry.
§ Mr. BuchanThe balance between cereal crops and livestock and the level of price guarantees and production grants as they affect different products will be considered, along with other relevant factors, at the forthcoming Annual Review.
§ Mr. MackenzieDoes the hon. Gentleman agree that the present system of cereal growing on farms year after year, without any change in rotation, makes for all sorts of troubles for the grower and lighter yields as time goes on? Would it not help the general standard of husbandry to have a better rotation system?
§ Mr. BuchanAs a general statement of framing policy that is correct. I think that the hon. Gentleman has in mind the fattening of sheep in lowland areas. There has been an indication this autumn, since the store period, of a slight return to 1526 this form of farming, but it is too early to say.