Sheep industry urged to make its voice heard

Farmers and crofters at the Highland Sheep event in Ross-shire were urged to rally together to promote the importance of the sheep industry to government and the wider public.

The biennial event, organised by the Scottish branch of the National Sheep Association (NSA), was staged at Dorothy Clark and Amy Grant’s Kinnahaird Farm, Strathpeffer.

NSA Scotland chairman John Fyall said the organisation would be making the sheep sector’s presence felt at every opportunity in the year ahead.

“All the jobs and services these sheep keep need to be championed and people need to realise we are an industry that’s really worth protecting and growing,” said Mr Fyall.

“Long-term we have the opportunity with governments to create a plan to suit ourselves.

“We have been told to bring them (politicians) the ideas we want.

“We need to make sure we are seen as an industry worth protecting. It’s up to us to promote the industry.”

Mr Fyall’s plea was backed by Courier columnist Joyce Campbell, who runs a flock of 780 Lairg-type North Country Cheviot ewes across 5,600 acres at Armadale.

Officially opening yesterday’s event, Ms Campbell said the hills would be void of life without sheep.

She said: “The lights are being kept on in the glens where sheep farmers remain. You need only take a trip to the back-end sales of lambs and ewes to appreciate the financial impact our industry has on rural Scotland.”

Ms Campbell said everyone involved in the sheep industry needed to work together to encourage shoppers to eat more lamb – on average the Scottish consumer eats between 2kg and 2.5kg of lamb a year, while the English consumer eats up to 7.5kg.

John Fyall.