As 2015 draws to a close it is becoming crystal clear that government’s relationship with farming has changed.
Gone are the days of an amicable, and almost friendly, partnership.
Instead we are faced with a constant battle to have our voices heard over the deafening sound of the green lobby and land reform activists.
Implementation of the new Common Agricultural Policy (Cap) has been a shambles.
The late delivery of policy guidance, which in most cases lacked vital detail, has left everyone confused and frustrated.
While the creation of the new farm subsidy computer system has been an expensive fiasco, government is too embarrassed to own up to.
The upcoming land reform bill seems to pander more to SNP cries for a “radical reform” rather than looking at the practicalities of how the tenant farming sector works.
And if Scottish Land and Estate’s warning this week is anything to go by, it could be a case of de ja vu for government and a repeat of legal challenges as seen with the infamous Salvesen/Riddell case.
As we get closer to the start of a New Year, our list of unanswered and ignored questions grows longer every day.
When will we get our subsidy payments?
How much will we get paid when our payments come?
What do we have to do to meet the greening requirements in 2016?
What will happen to the tenanted sector as a result of the land reform bill?
Will my farmland be safe from enforced community buyouts?
Why didn’t you consult us before banning genetically modified (GM) crops?
Why are you gold-plating all the greening rules?
Do you want farmers to produce food or are we expected, instead, to solely focus on looking after the environment?
Why have you turned your back on us?