Monday, September 12, 2022
Agri Food Tech News
SUBSCRIBE
  • Home
  • AgriTech
  • FoodTech
  • Farming
  • Organic Farming
  • Machinery
  • Markets
  • Food Safety
  • Fertilizers
  • Lifestyle
No Result
View All Result
Agri Food Tech News
  • Home
  • AgriTech
  • FoodTech
  • Farming
  • Organic Farming
  • Machinery
  • Markets
  • Food Safety
  • Fertilizers
  • Lifestyle
No Result
View All Result
Agri Food Tech News
No Result
View All Result

Opinion: Farming voice has been lost in new Scots ‘ag bill’ proposals

by agrifood
September 12, 2022
in Farming
Reading Time: 3 mins read
A A
0
Home Farming
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter


The long-awaited consultation on Scotland’s upcoming Agriculture Bill has finally had its turn on the printers at Holyrood – the timing of which is overdue for many struggling to plan for the future in a rapidly changing, inflationary market.

Many reading the proposals, however, may be forgiven for thinking it is more of a Climate Change Bill, with limited references to food production, lacking on food security, and even less generous in detail.

Anyone hoping to present the contents to their bank manager to support a business plan will be left wanting.

See also: Scots government sets out plans for future farm support

About the author

Colin Ferguson

Colin Ferguson is a Farmers Weekly columnist and dairy farmer from the Machars Peninsula in south west Scotland. Along with his parents and brother, he milks 450 cows on two units supplying Arla Foods. Colin is also the NFU Scotland regional chair for Dumfries & Galloway and a Scottish Enterprise rural leader.

Contact:

First impressions feel like it is a proposal more suited for publication in a Green party manifesto.

This is hardly surprising considering the complete absence of ministerial representation at the majority of agricultural events this year, with support only seen at carefully controlled closed meetings.

Clearly there has been plenty of hearing, but not much listening.

The cabinet secretary for rural affairs, Mairi Gougeon, says in her preface to the consultation that she wants Scotland to be a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture.

However, little or no ink has been spent attempting to define what that looks like, with the document merely hinting at the overarching framework of how funding will be distributed, and with worryingly scant detail.

The drafting of this consultation follows years of work from industry stakeholder groups and numerous reports. Hours of time have been committed; some will now inevitably feel they have been hours wasted.

The specially selected industry experts tasked with codesigning and implementing all the ideas of the past – the Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board (Ariob) – are described at the beginning of the consultation as the “architects” of the bill.

Farmers will rightly ask whose side they are on, and feel those at grassroots level no longer have a say, with any critical voices overlooked and silenced.

Some could even be led to question if Ariob members just toe the line to ensure future invitations to work with government.

So, what does this all mean for the future? So much has been promised, but so little delivered. Some businesses may turn away from financial support, preferring to operate through market forces, intensification or diversification.

Many, however, may choose to turn away from agriculture altogether, feeling years of toil, experience and passion isn’t suited to the government’s vison, or lack thereof.

Whatever happens, I feel like this opportunity to take Scottish agriculture into the modern age, using its assets and the skills of its people, has been wasted.

The government seems to have only listened to views which suit its own narrative, and not considered what is already being so easily achieved on farms around the country.

To me, this proposed Agricultural Bill is far too focused on revolution rather than transition.

As external pressures on farming businesses build over the winter, the hope that a sympathetic government will step in to help will have been discarded upon reading.

Some farmers may look at us in Scotland with a hint of jealousy – a government that appears receptive, says all the right things, and rails against the injustices of a corrupt Westminster.

But the reality is we are ruled by two parties at opposing ends of the political spectrum (the SNP and the Tories). They are clearly two cheeks of the same arse – drunk on populism with no grasp of reality.



Source link

Share this:

  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...
Tags: billFarminglostOpinionproposalsScotsvoice
Share30Tweet19
Previous Post

Indigenous Brazilians demand justice as 3 killed in escalating violence

Recommended For You

War of words erupts as gene-editing bill looms

by agrifood
September 12, 2022
0

Wording in the draft legislation for a bill covering gene-editing is potentially misleading to the public, a group of 50 international scientists and policy experts has claimed. The...

Read more

Scottish farmers form tractor guard of honour for the Queen

by agrifood
September 12, 2022
0

Scottish farmers formed a guard of honour with their tractors in the Aberdeenshire countryside to pay homage to the Queen. Dozens of tractors lined the route of the...

Read more

MPs visit farm that uses technology to cut slurry emissions

by agrifood
September 11, 2022
0

A cross-party group of MPs has viewed on-farm technology capable of slashing methane and ammonia emissions from stored slurry. The Environmental Food and Rural Affairs (Efra) committee MPs...

Read more

This Week in Farming: Tributes, new Defra team, milk protests

by agrifood
September 9, 2022
0

Welcome to This Week in Farming, your regular round-up of the best content on the Farmers Weekly website in the past seven days. Every Saturday we select five...

Read more

Opinion: Time to shout about the many virtues of cow’s milk

by agrifood
September 10, 2022
0

When I was at junior school we got free milk every day, which we drank with varying degrees of enthusiasm. The lads in the class competed to see...

Read more

LATEST UPDATES

Farming

Opinion: Farming voice has been lost in new Scots ‘ag bill’ proposals

by agrifood
September 12, 2022
0

The long-awaited consultation on Scotland’s upcoming Agriculture Bill has finally had its turn on the printers at Holyrood – the...

Indigenous Brazilians demand justice as 3 killed in escalating violence

September 12, 2022

War of words erupts as gene-editing bill looms

September 12, 2022

C-suite changes at Indigo Ag

September 12, 2022

Farm Safety Week nears with Protecting Agriculture’s Future theme

September 12, 2022

Kentucky teen battles back from injury to show her steer

September 12, 2022

Get the free newsletter

Browse by Category

  • AgriTech
  • Farming
  • Fertilizers
  • Food Safety
  • FoodTech
  • Lifestyle
  • Machinery
  • Markets
  • Organic Farming
  • Uncategorized
Agri Food Tech News

Agri FoodTech News provides in-depth journalism and insight into the most impactful news and updates about shaping the business of Agriculture

CATEGORIES

  • AgriTech
  • Farming
  • Fertilizers
  • Food Safety
  • FoodTech
  • Lifestyle
  • Machinery
  • Markets
  • Organic Farming
  • Uncategorized

RECENT UPDATES

  • Opinion: Farming voice has been lost in new Scots ‘ag bill’ proposals
  • Indigenous Brazilians demand justice as 3 killed in escalating violence
  • War of words erupts as gene-editing bill looms
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA
  • Cookie Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact us

Copyright © 2022 - Agri FoodTech News .
Agri FoodTech News is not responsible for the content of external sites.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • AgriTech
  • FoodTech
  • Farming
  • Organic Farming
  • Machinery
  • Markets
  • Food Safety
  • Fertilizers
  • Lifestyle

Copyright © 2022 - Agri FoodTech News .
Agri FoodTech News is not responsible for the content of external sites.

%d bloggers like this: