Ewing: Agriculture needs cash support

Fergus EZing former &abinet secretary for rural economy oSened 6cotland s %eef EYent to a SacNed audience at 'alsZinton Estate 'umfries yesterday stating the case for direct suSSort for agriculture in 6cotland

7he eYent hosted by estate oZner 3eter /andale attracted about Yisitors along Zith trade stands and breed societies

0r EZing Sointed out that his aSSroach Zhen he Zas &abinet secretary Zas to listen to farmers and Sroduce a series of Slans one of Zhich Zas the 6ucNler %eef &limate 6cheme Zhere he claimed the ideas are as releYant today as they Zere then

+e said k7his should be the basis of hoZ Ze suSSort the beef sector

k7he 6cottish *oYernment Zas successful in Zinning bacN d million conYergence money from the 8. *oYernment but alongside that there is the neZ money Zhich , belieYe should be used in substantial Sart to suSSort the continued success of the beef sector

k%eef sucNler coZ numbers haYe droSSed dramatically from in to in and still falling :e must stem the loss of numbers because Ze need a critical mass to suSSort the Zhole suSSly chain

k7herefore Ze must not go doZn the route of countries liNe the 1etherlands Zhere Ze see this absurd Solicy of the mandatory cull of the beef herd in that Sath lies ruin

k:hat Ze must do is suSSort the farming industry as a Zhole but the bacNbone is the beef sector y

0r EZing said he understood the frustration of farmers concerned about the lacN of clarity on Sost

funding

+e said k7he Srime obMectiYe should be to maintain Tuality food Sroduction in a sustainable fashion through direct suSSort :e cannot taNe food security for granted q the 8Nraine Zar has shoZn us that

k:e should aSSreciate Zhat farmers do many farmers are feeling beleaguered due to Yegan camSaigns uniYersities haYing no meat days and so on ,t is ludicrous meat should be Sart of a healthy balanced diet and the silent maMority agree y

$sNed Zhat has haSSened to the neZ money 0r EZing said it has been lent to another deSartment to Slug a hole but he said Ze need to get it bacN and sSend it on

farmers %eef farming accounts for of 6cottish agriculture outSut Zhich is far more significant than England or the E8 and it needs money sSent on it

+e added that although the arable sector is by and large more Srofitable he belieYes the case for gene editing is oYerZhelmingly strong and needs a short sharS debate

+e said k:e should embrace the adYances of science not taNe a green /uddite aSSroach Zhich is to reMect the Sotential enormous benefits of gene editing y

+e also said there Zas no Slace for the urban centric *reen 3arty in the 6cottish *oYernment and the green tail Zas Zagging the big yelloZ dog

$n e[amSle authorising $sulo[ for the control of bracNen

0r EZing has been ZorNing hard to ensure it continues to be authorised as it is the only effectiYe control of this inYasiYe sSecies +e said k%racNen does untold damage to habitats and nature and is also a serious risN to Sublic health as it is scientifically SroYen that it harbours more ticNs and more ticNs infected Zith disease such as /yme s

k,t is essential this is authorised soon and eYen if the +6E recommends against authorisation each country can still go ahead Zith authorisation

k0y e[Sectation is the 8. *oYernment Zill authorise $sulo[ and if 6cotland does not it Zill be an absolute outrage y

0r EZing has obYiously had 6cottish agriculture at the forefront of his mind on the bacN benches as he also said he belieYes that eYery assistance should be giYen to farmers Zho Zish to diYersify Zith one Zay being to further liberalise Slanning Sermission to alloZ farmers to use their oZn land to best adYantage

+e said not eYery farmer Zould taNe uS the oSSortunity but the sleeSing caSital held in the farming community could build houses and helS solYe the rural housing shortage

LISTENING TO FARMERS: Dalswinton Estate hosted the event which included this QMS butchery demonstration.

Fergus Ewing.