By Scottish Labour rural spokesperson, Rhoda Grant MSP The whole of Scotland owes a debt of gratitude to our agricultural sector and the communities which support it that have kept us fed and kept the countryside open for us to enjoy during lockdown. This needs to be acknowledged with greater recognition of this work. We know that agriculture is a long term commitment. Farming is measured by generations and not electoral terms. Scottish Labour understands the need for financial stability and the ability to plan ahead. We will maintain current levels of funding until 2024 and from then we will put in place a new scheme that gives farmers and crofters certainty. The new financial support must recognise farmer’s knowledge, recognising their experience in reducing emissions and protecting Scotland’s landscape and work towards sustainable farming practices. We believe that the new agricultural support package offers a valuable opportunity to deliver on environmental commitmen
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By Robert Macdonald, NFU Scotland LFA Committee Chair OVER THE last five weeks, NFU Scotland has highlighted the significant progress which has been achieved in delivering stability to farming and crofting in Scotland’s less favoured areas. Just last year, there was real and urgent concern about the threat of payments through the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme (LFASS) dropping to 40% of 2018 levels. The steadfast work of NFU Scotland’s LFA Committee has ensured that the significant contribution of LFA farming and crofting has been clearly recognised and acknowledged. Last year, the LFA Committee published the union’s proposals for mid-term stability in ‘Less Favoured Areas – Delivering for Scotland’ which you can read here https://bit.ly/3dTAtEI
A small fold of black Highland cattle enjoying the sunset over Loch Awe, near Dalmally. They are part of the much larger Cladich fold of Highlanders belonging to Jon and Queenie Strickland, and are running with Balach Dubh of Craigowmill, an aged bull bou UK GOVERNMENT officials need to wake up to the severity of the threat posed by African swine fever and enforce stricter biosecurity measures. This message came at the start of October, from pig farmer and chair of NFU Scotland’s pigs committee, Jamie Wyllie, who has criticised the powers that be for failing to prepare the country for a disease which could ‘devastate its pig population’ and threaten food security. He told The SF that other pig-producing countries were taking much more stringent measures to protect their herds from ASF, which leads to 100% pig mortality. “During a recent trip to Canada, every poster on the way down to collect my luggage warned of ASF and we had to sign declaration cards on entry with questi