Cards stacked in industry’s favour, says NFUS president

A new year, a new perspective, writes Andrew McCornick, president of NFU Scotland, in his New Year message.

The new and untested trading environment would be different but with many of the same worries over potential tariffs and quotas, he said.

‘There are and will be issues and NFUS will take them on and seek remedies.

‘However, as I look to 2021, it is not about the cards we have been dealt on Brexit, trade deals, policy or weather.

‘It is how we play our hand and I firmly believe that, as an industry, we have the cards stacked in our favour,' he added. With the world population growing, Scotland's ‘multifunctional land' meet growing demand.

‘Let us have credibility for farmers by investing in bioeconomy, bioenergy, agro-forestry, precision farming and shorter food chains – support for which is within the Government's gift,' he said.

‘In 2021, the black cloud of Covid-19 needs to be swept away, a process driven by the vaccines our scientists have developed and lessons learned on the things we should do better but also how we have adapted and adopted new methods for good.

‘Agriculture also urgently needs delivery of an ambitious coherent policy delivering a sustainable profitable industry could that addresses climate change, biodiversity and an increasing demand for nutritious high standard and welfare food. Procrastination has a price.

‘Brexit will go by, like foot and mouth, the oil crisis and the great depression, but we need enough freedom and flexibility to be able to innovate and chose our own paths through it as well. We need to throw open our doors to the public and build trust on what we do and how we do it. There is huge potential from selling our story both on farm and in the food chain.'

He finished by adding: ‘I wish everyone health, wealth and happiness for the coming year.'