It is little wonder our farmers are feeling severely undervalued and are genuinely under the most enormous financial and psychological pressure.
They are faced with various issues including: Brexit; elections; husting meetings; various invites to events telling farmers how to be more efficient; non-native species re-introductions upsetting the ecosystem; climate change blame laid primarily upon our farming industry, with no sensible calculators to define what happens (and who responsibility should be attached to) before or after the raw products leave our farm gates; the threat of community powers over farming land being granted to those outwith agriculture; minority groups with clever slogans who seem determined to ruin our red meat sector; and the constant threat to the already diminishing toolbox of plant protection products.
You will note I didn’t even refer to the debacle of the Common Agricultural Policy (Cap) payment system.
We are all thoroughly sick and tired of hearing and reading about this topic, albeit it is a key ingredient in the recipe here.
You really could not have imagined that our farming industry would, nor should, be thwarted with such hugely contentious challenges. The reality is, however, that we are, and that it may not improve post-Brexit.
Certainly, many EU regulations will remain, if we are to trade with other EU member states, and also if we are to compete with these same countries to gain market access outside Europe. So what can we do to protect ourselves?
Many farmers make the point that we ought to be making the case for Scottish/ British farming and food, and influencing our own home fans, so that they actually purchase our products.
We are, after all, “a nation of shopkeepers”, as stated by Adam Smith in the 1770s and later by Napoleon in the late 1790s.
Clearly, many farmers share this view, and I am frequently in conversation with members who believe our Scottish and Westminster governments should spend more time examining the home market, fixing the broken, unfair and non-transparent supply chain.
It is a well-documented fact that annually the UK imports almost the same tonnage of lamb from Australia/ New Zealand, as we export to other, primarily EU, nations.
So, why don’t we try harder to look after our home production by utilising it at home, be self sufficient and reduce distribution costs. Think of the carbon miles we would save too. The challenge would be that we would have to overcome the seasonality aspect of our lambing regime in order to support demand all year round.
Interestingly, Adam Smith famously wrote in his Wealth of Nations: “To found a great empire for the sole purpose of raising up a people of customers, may at first sight, appear a project fit only for a nation of shopkeepers. It is, however, a project altogether unfit for a nation of shopkeepers, but extremely fit for a nation whose government is influenced by shopkeepers.”
Although I am taking this quote completely out of the context in which Adam Smith had meant it for, I can see some common truths upon which this quote eloquently fits with on this subject here, especially when you consider the behaviour of some of our large retailers.
One final short message for our Governments, and again, I will quote Napoleon here – “An army marches on its’ stomach”.
The population needs fed with good quality, Scottish/ British sourced food, for the benefit of both of the environment (climate change) and healthy, fit human beings.
Everyone needs to learn to actually value local food better.
* Lorna Paterson is NFU Scotland’s regional manager for the north-east
