The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Lib Dem food miles vow
The Scottish Liberal Democrats say Scottish farmers should be helped to capitalise on a growing consumer awareness of food miles.
Setting out his party’s stall on agriculture and rural policy on a farm in the Borders, Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie said the next Scottish Government needed to boost Scottish farming by cutting food miles and helping producers navigate procurement processes.
He pledged that his party would work in collaboration with partners to establish a new system of agricultural support to promote climate-friendly farming.
He said: “Scotland’s farmers produce some of the best food. From beef to the berries, it’s amazing the quality of the products that are grown on our doorsteps.
“The more the food miles, the greater the damage to the environment.
“Scottish Liberal Democrats want a system that delivers climatefriendly farming alongside the critical work of producing food and providing rural employment.”
He pointed out the importance of food security at the beginning of the pandemic and the role farmers played in working “day-in, day-out” to keep food on shelves and tables when global supply chains seized up.
He added: “In our successful budget negotiations with the Scottish Government we succeeded in securing £5 million more for agriculture transition funding, which rewards farmers for good practices and helps our climate change priorities.
“Much more support will need to follow in the years ahead to help farmers make the adaptations we all want to see.”
Key Lib Dem rural policy includes: Working together to establish a new system of agricultural support which promotes climatefriendly farming alongside food provision and rural employment; cutting food miles by valuing quality seasonal Scottish produce through procurement and helping producers and processors to navigate tendering; working across the UK to prevent markets being flooded with poor quality food that undercuts Scottish goods that are produced to high environmental and animal welfare standards; and “croft proofing” future agricultural support to make sure active farmers and crofters are properly supported.