Others asked to better share risk and rewards
NFU Scotland’s Chief Executive Scott Walker has used the platform at the Union’s AGM to call on farmers, crofters and growers to continue to take great pride in what they deliver to society.
While struggling through huge volatility, challenging weather and support payment delays, farmers continue to deliver the raw materials on which the biggest manufacturing sector in the UK is largely reliant.
Speaking at St Andrews on the opening day of the AGM and conference, Mr Walker demanded that other parts of the food chain wake up to the huge risks carried by those in primary production and better share the rewards that other parts enjoy.
Mr Walker said: “There is no getting away from the fact that it has been a hugely difficult 12 months for Scottish agriculture but the industry should be hugely proud of the fine produce it has to offer and the resilience it has shown.
“As farmers, we are at the start of a £100 billion food and drink industry here in the UK. We are the foundation stone of the largest manufacturing sector in the country and we support 4 million jobs
“It must never be forgotten that farming is vitally important to the wellbeing of this country and impacts on the life of every citizen in the UK. We are rightly proud of what we do but we need a fair reward for the risks we carry every day in our businesses.
“Increasingly, farmers are facing greater volatility – whether that be weather or prices – but we are inherently resilient. Farmers, crofters and growers solve challenges each and every day.
“And when it comes to some of the big challenges to society – whether it be food security or problems with flooding – we can provide solutions to some of the problems facing the public in Scotland providing the Scottish Government and its agencies give us the flexibility to do so rather than tying us up with bureaucracy and red tape
“Scottish farmers are not looking for others to provide the solutions to our problems – we are more than capable of doing it ourselves and collectively through NFU Scotland we can organise our members and the industry to be better equipped for the future.
“We do need others, however, including Scottish Government and the wider food chain to take their responsibilities as seriously as we do.”
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