ANDREW CONNON

Two weeks ago, I walked through a modern Aberdeenshire dairy complex admiring a large herd of content high-yielding cows, which are producing milk to the highest standards due to the implementation of technology, a massive investment and tremendous stockmanship.

What a deeply chilling experience, standing there, to think that in two months’ time those buildings will be empty. The cows will be gone and the only thing left will be an echo.

This emotional experience is being felt throughout the majority of the remaining north-east dairy herds. It’s a disgrace that the supply chain has been allowed to take control, dictate, hold the upper hand and destroy what was once a key industry in the area.

My heart goes out not only to our current dairy producers but also to those highly skilled dairy farmers that have already in recent years grudgingly given up the job as the industry has slowly wilted.

Meanwhile, the UK Government has repeatedly stated it will safeguard the domestic agriculture sector in the negotiation of trade arrangements. It has, however, resisted the inclusion of amendments to both the UK Agriculture Bill and the UK Trade Bill which would uphold, in legislation, the principle of disallowing any agri-food produce to enter the UK that has not been produced to the standards required of UK producers. This is of serious concern to NFU Scotland and the union continues to lobby for such an amendment to be included in legislation.

In addition, much political debate continues around the UK internal market post-Brexit, which has massive significance for Scottish agriculture. In short, we need a common platform and operating conditions so that regulatory differences do not cause market distortion or competitive advantage within the UK.

And finally, some positives – the 2020 National Basic Payment Scheme loan payments are now heading into bank accounts and harvest is also progressing well. Yields in general are good and, in some cases, tremendous. Potato crops have grown well and lifting is under way. Covid is, however, impacting in the export of seed, with haulage up by £60 per tonne on exports to Thailand.

The pig industry remains positively stable although the closure of a processing factory in Germany has seen a dramatic decrease in cull sow values. Prime cattle prices remain positively firm, reflected in a strong price for store and breeding cattle while the sheep industry continues to enjoy some price inflation.

In 1975, my grandfather stood in the ring at Kittybrewster and sold half-bred ewe lambs for £25 per head while a new IH 674 tractor that year cost £3,680. So, there is plenty of scope for inflation in agricultural produce to keep up.

Brexit is coming and we are in the hands of the politicians. However, let’s sincerely hope Covid can be tamed and our hard-worked, under-pressure processors, distributors and merchants can work uninterrupted so the agricultural industry can continue to feed the nation.

■ Andrew Connon is NFU Scotland regional chairman for the north-east