Environmental challenges rival Brexit as concerns

While there is little doubt that Brexit remains the biggest challenge for Scotland’s farming sector, yesterday’s NFU Scotland annual meeting in Glasgow heard that the issue is secondary for those affected by issues such as beavers, sea eagles and geese.

And while there was a recognition that the environment was moving centre stage in policy decisions affecting farmers, union president Andrew Mccornick said that although the industry was willing to take this on board, there had to be greater recognition of the work already done by the industry – and the effects which such policies had on individual farm businesses.

“We can do more,” said Mccornick, “but we need acknowledgement for what we are doing already.”

He pointed out that carbon sequestration delivered through grazing livestock was rarely included in climate change calculations, adding that Scotland was home to a high proportion of the world’s blanket bogs which played a key role in acting as a carbon sink.

“And if we were able to increase soil organic matter by only one per cent we could do more for climate change than all the trees in Scotland,” he added.

He said that there was a need to continue the industry’s engagement with government and NGO’S: “Farmers are environmentalists –and we need to get this recognised by these bodies.”

But he supported the plight of those directly affected by species introduction and other issues which were raised from the floor, such as potato producer Peter Grewar who said that beavers were seriously limiting the ability to produce food in some of Scotland’s most productive areas – while adversely affecting the environment and the wider rural economy.

Also on the environmental front, an impassioned plea was made by combinable crops chairman Ian Sands to SEPA chief executive Terry A’hearn to give the industry a period to adapt to the changes in regulations surrounding the disposal of waste farms plastics.

He said that while the derogation which allowed Scottish farmers to burn their waste plastic in incinerators was to come to an end next January, there was currently little in the way of underlying infrastructure which would help producers to comply with the changes without incurring huge costs.

A’hearn, who addressed themeeting,saidthatwhile moves were afoot to bring the country into line with others in Europe, including England, his organisation would work to avoid bringing the changes in as a blunt instrument.