The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
NFUS chief slams report
The recent major rural policy report by the Scottish Government has been slammed as a “frustrating” experience by NFU Scotland President Martin Kennedy, who said conclusions reached in the report left him feeling “seriously let down” on behalf of the farming industry.
Mr Kennedy was referring to last week’s release of the Farming and Food Production Future Policy Group (FFPFPG) report. Set up in January 2019, the group was supposed to develop and make recommendations around the broad principles for the future of farming and food production policy from 2024.
Such future policy plans were also meant to focus on enhancing biodiversity, lowering greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, growing the rural economy, maintaining populations, tackling poverty and reducing inequalities.
Initially “delighted” to be asked to join the group, thinking it would propose a delivery plan, Mr Kennedy said he now felt seriously let down as this was not the case. Complaining that, in reality, views of those most involved in farming hadn’t actually been listened to, he said NFUS had refused to sign-off on the published report.
He said: “We’re delighted the new cabinet secretary committed to establishing an implementation board, which will introduce the new funding structure for farming, based on tackling climate change and increasing biodiversity.
“We are keen to be part of that board, alongside others who are keen to drive this forward.
“However, if this board does not include the right people who are determined to deliver a meaningful agricultural policy, with food production at its core, then we’ll find it extremely difficult to be involved.
“We have an opportunity right now to showcase Scottish agriculture as an industry which is leading the world in climate change mitigation and environmental enhancement, and the Scottish Government has a fantastic opportunity to go into COP26 highlighting the fact it has an industry behind it.
“The alternative, however, is likely to be continual conflict which will not only fall short of targets we have, but also have an adverse effect on our economy.
“Given the importance of agriculture to the Scottish economy, this is something we ignore at our peril.”