Gougeon to address farmers’ Holyrood rally
POLITICIANS from all of Scotland’s major parties will address next week’s # FoodNeedsAFarmer rally at Holyrood – including ScotGov’s own Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Mairi Gougeon.
Organised by NFU Scotland, the rally will take place on Wednesday, November 2, from 12-noon to 2pm, outside the Scottish Parliament, in Edinburgh.
The stated aim of the rally is to deliver a ‘crystal-clear message’ to the Scottish Parliament, Scottish Government, MSPs and officials that farming, crofting and food production must be the central pillar of its new agricultural policy for Scotland.
Arising as an outlet for dissatisfaction with ScotGov’s slow progress towards a clear plan for the future of agricultural support, it is no surprise that the opposition parties have all committed speakers to the event – Scottish Conservative Party leader Douglas Ross; the Scottish Labour Party’s Colin Smyth; and the Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton – but it was less predictable that the SNP’s Ms Gougeon, and Green MSP Ariane Burgess, would volunteer to attend what may be perceived as a protest against them.
Walking a diplomatic line about the nature of the gathering outside Holyrood, NFU Scotland president, Martin Kennedy, conceded that the Scottish Government’s consultation on a new Agriculture Bill was a ‘ critical step’ on the road to a new agricultural policy and agreeing fundamental changes to how farming and crofting will be supported in the future – but complained that farmers and crofters were being asked to discuss these massive issues in ‘ an information vacuum’.
“Farmers and crofters will deliver a clear message that any powers created by the proposed new Agriculture Bill must put food production at the heart of delivering all the economic, social and environmental benefits that all agricultural businesses will be asked to deliver,” said Mr Kennedy.
“The Scottish Parliament must acknowledge that active farming and crofting have the answers when it comes to putting high quality, local, sustainable, and affordable food on the table and at the same time delivering for the nation on climate change and biodiversity.
“Only farmers and crofters across Scotland can turn the dry legislation of a new Agriculture Bill into practices that deliver for food, climate and nature but we need to know now from Scottish Government what those options look like,” insisted Mr Kennedy.
“The lack of recognition of our industry within the Bill, and all it delivers, is unacceptable and fails to acknowledge the urgent need to address the worsening food security crisis. We are holding this rally to drive home the message that #FoodNeedsAFarmer.”