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Farmers and crofters deliver food security message to Holyrood amid warnings cost of living crisis could get worse


By Iona M.J. MacDonald

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Alex Rennie (age 3), NFU Scotland president Martin Kennedy, vice–presidents Robin Traquair (right) and Andrew Connon (left)
Alex Rennie (age 3), NFU Scotland president Martin Kennedy, vice–presidents Robin Traquair (right) and Andrew Connon (left)

FOUR hundred Scottish farmers and crofters gathered outside the Scottish Parliament yesterday delivering a clear message to Holyrood that #FoodNeedsAFarmer.

They want food production to be the central pillar of the new agricultural policy for Scotland.

Farmers and crofters from Shetland to Stranraer – and all points in-between – supported the rally, with many taking the opportunity to meet with their MSPs.

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Speaking after the event, NFU Scotland president, Martin Kennedy said: “Farmers and crofters have delivered a clear message that any new policy created by the proposed new Agriculture Bill must put food production front and centre when it comes to delivering all the economic, social, and environmental benefits that all agricultural businesses will be asked to provide.

“We have taken our eye off the ball on energy, and look at the mess we have got ourselves into. We cannot repeat that same mistake with food, or the cost of living crisis we are enduring will simply get worse. Food security is now a global issue, and we have a moral obligation to produce it.

“Investing in this nation’s food production will deliver the wider environmental goals we all want to provide. We thank the many politicians who joined our rally today and urge them to take away the message that investing in active farming and crofting will reinvigorate the rural economy at a time when it is shrinking.

"We call for them to acknowledge that active farming and crofting have the answers when it comes to putting high quality, local, sustainable, and affordable food on the table."

Many politicians accepted an invite to address the rally including the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Mairi Gougeon MSP; Scottish Conservative Party leader Douglas Ross MSP; Scottish Labour Party’s Colin Smyth MSP; Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP; Green MSP Ariane Burgess, Rural Affairs Committee Chair Finlay Carson MSP and farmer and SNP MSP Jim Fairlie.

More than 40 MSPs left the parliament building to meet with their constituents.

The rally at the Scottish Parliament was staged to coincide with Scotland’s farmers and crofters being consulted by Scottish Government on a future agricultural policy for the nation. At the same time as the rally in Holyrood was taking place, NFU Scotland’s Director of Policy Jonnie Hall was at Westminster meeting many Scottish MPs who took part in #BackBritishFarming day.


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