Donald Cameron hosts Lochaber farmers meeting
A meeting of hill farmers and crofters who are part of the Lochaber Monitor Farm programme was held last week in the Scottish Parliament by Highlands and Islands MSP Donald Cameron.
The meeting, which was also attended by Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch MSP Kate Forbes and the Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy Fergus Ewing MSP, was designed to highlight the successes of the monitor farm project, and what more support is needed to preserve hill farming and encourage future generations into the sector.
Other issues, including punitive penalties, frequency of inspections, reforming support payments and designing a new Scottish support system after Brexit, were also discussed.
Following the meeting, Scottish Conservative MSP Mr Cameron said: ‘It is important as Brexit ap- proaches that we speak to our farmers and crofters so that we know what is happening in our agricultural communities, and what kind of support is needed going forward.
‘Brexit undoubtedly presents many challenges, but it also provides us with an opportunity to redesign the system that presently exists so that support goes to those who need it most.
‘I am confident that cross-party conversations such as these will be very beneficial in the long run, and I look forward to speaking to more local farmers and crofters in the coming weeks and months.’