The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Covid gives us a chance to promote Scottish farming
They say that with every challenge comes opportunity. Over the past six months we are fortunate to have been able to go about our work at home on the farm without radical changes to our daily routine. Farmers have been “WFH” long before the abbreviation was even invented and our landscape of work and family life has altered little in comparison to other industries.
Rural communities often have poor transport links as well as limited access to facilities and entertainment opportunities.
Young people in such communities often travel to school or college, but they can be quite isolated when they return home as the world of farming can be i n t e n s i v e a n d all-consuming.
Before Covid-19, many peop le work ing in agriculture were already used to practising social distancing for significant spells of time – during lambing time, for example, when shepherds rarely leave the farm except to get food for themselves or supplies for the farm.
Similarly, during harvest time when farmers spend more time in a combine or tractor cab on their own than in the farmhouse with their family or catching up with their friends.
During busy times such as these , farm ing businesses make it through the challenges faced by pulling together as a team.
In many ways, these times of social distancing are actually some of my favourite times of the year. They are the times when we see the results of months of hard work come to fruition as part of a collective effort.
So, how a f f e c t ed agriculture?
While, for many, our daily routines have remained unchanged, the way in which we live our lives beyond those daily routines is dramatically different. Many of us have had to find new ways of staying in touch with each other.
There have also been changes in the behaviour of the general public which agricultural businesses have had to adapt to.
There has been an upward trend in shopping local at farm shops or butchers, with more money
has Covid-19 S co t t i sh
going towards economy.
The rise in popularity of the “staycation” has affected the agri-tourism sector, and there has been increased demand for access to the countryside for exercise and leisure.
So are these behavioural changes an opportunity or a challenge for Scottish agriculture?
Such changes give us the opportunity to build a stronger relationship with the general public, so how do we make the most of this opportunity?
Ma n y farmers can become anxious about access to the countryside
the
local
by the public, leading to negative signage being put up on farms which adds to the disconnect between them and agriculture.
Th is is a m issed opportunity to educate others on the work we carry out.
I h av e seen a great example of a farmer who, instead of putting up a sign which just said “dogs must be kept on a lead at all times”, created educational signage written from the perspective of the sheep in the field which explained that they were in- ewe lambs who were sensitive to stress and asked the public to keep their dog on
a lead to reduce their stress levels.
W ith now l im ited e n t e r t a i n m e n t opportunities for families living in towns and cities, there are also farmers and rural business owners who are seizing the opportunity to put on small-scale events such as a pick your own pumpkin patch.
The renewed interest of the general public in rural Scot land caused by Covid-19 is a chance for Scottish agriculture to improve our ability to engage with the general public and sell our story to our potential customers and clients.
We produce top-quality food with some of the highest welfare standards and we care for some of the most beautiful land in the world.
If we can adapt to change and step out of our comfort zones as part of a collective effort then this is our opportunity to promote Scottish a g r i c u l t u r e a t its best.