Holyrood rally to go ahead with new focus

NFU Scotland is to go ahead with its rally outside Holyrood today despite a Government pledge of £200 million to ensure all farmers receive their first subsidy payments in April.

The union organised the rally last week to call for immediate farm subsidy payments to producers and to highlight to MSPs the cash-flow crisis being caused as a result of payment delays.

Ahead of today’s rally First Minister Nicola Sturgeon stepped in and announced plans for Government to provide up to £200m of national funds to cover subsidy payments to any farmers or crofters who have not yet received their first payment by the end of this month.

NFU Scotland welcomed the announcement but last night confirmed that today’s rally would still go ahead, albeit with a different focus.

Writing on the union’s blog, chief executive Scott Walker said today’s rally would now focus on showing politicians the importance of farming and the problems the delay in payments had done to the rural economy.

He said the slogan for today’s rally would be: No farmers, no food.

“Rural matters must be at the forefront of all MSPs who have the countryside as part of the constituency and the rally will give our MSPs the opportunity to speak to farmers and rural businesses ahead of the Scottish elections,” said Mr Walker.

Union president Allan Bowie said: “We want them (MSPs) to hear about the fantastic job our industry is doing, day in, day out, in looking after the land, supporting rural businesses and putting food and drink in front of the nation’s citizens in what have been the most trying of circumstances.”