Blog The shift on LFASS payments must only be a stepping stone and I ask all farmers, crofters and associated trades to join us at our rally at the Scottish Parliament on 10 March at 11am as we impress on MSPs the need for more action to be taken.
04/03/2016
Blog The heat has been turned up again this week on the Scottish Government over their failure to deliver CAP payments to farmers, crofters and growers. Once more, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has tried to defend the criticisms aimed at her Cabinet Secretary Richard Lochhead and her government over their failure to deliver much-needed vital payments and the severe cash flow problems this is causing farm businesses and the rural economy.
26/02/2016
Blog We all know that the last 12 months have been tough. Farmers and crofters are now working day to day, wondering when this will end and their cash flows problems will start to recover. We need answers now, we need action and for the Cabinet Secretary and the Scottish Government to deliver on their promises.Cash flows are under severe pressure, and that is starting to impact health and well-being of our hard-working farmers. We have done our bit – we have worked hard to put food on your plates
11/02/2016
Blog The Groceries Code Adjudicator report into Tesco has exposed a culture which is all too often ignorant of the pressures faced by suppliers and producers. The report also highlights that the ‘fear factor’ remains and despite shoddy treatment and breaches of the Grocery code, suppliers were reluctant to engage in dispute resolution for fear of further ramifications for their business.
26/01/2016
Blog We are just over half way in our tour of Regional AGMs – Perth, Dingwall, Tarbert, Carfraemill, Stepps and Thainstone are done with Castle Douglas, Ayr and Kirkwall next week.
It has been fantastic meeting and speaking to members at these AGMs and I am particularly pleased with the turnout and level of debate.
22/01/2016
Blog These are exceptional times for NFU Scotland and Scottish agriculture and let’s hope 2016 brings some genuine cheer.The pressure that has built around all businesses in 2015, regardless of sector, was unprecedented.The root of our problems remain creeping costs, volatile and depressed markets, and damaging uncertainty over the timing and value of new CAP support payments.
28/12/2015
Blog Last week saw me battling for Scottish cattle farmers at the COPA and Commission meetings on beef writes NFU Scotland Livestock Committee Chairman Charlie Adam.
At these meetings, attended by representatives from all over Europe, I went with the aim of pressing our case on three fronts:
27/11/2015
Blog As the objectives are being set for the coming months for NFU Scotland’s Farming With Dyslexia campaign, Clare Slipper draws all of the strands together of what the Union has learned and tackled so far and what it will focus on next.Dyslexia is a hidden, but very real, issue within the farming community.
17/11/2015
Blog While the agricultural and animal health sectors in the UK focus on the scale and impact of budget cuts on Defra, of greater importance to Scotland may be the level of reduction in our total share of UK funding.From discussions with Scottish Government, there seems little doubt that the UK cuts will have a significant impact on Scotland’s pot.Given the Scottish Government’s stated commitments to priorities like health and education, savings will have to be found across a range of other policy areas.
10/11/2015
Blog A referendum on EU membership before the end of 2017 will be the fifth time in as many years that Scottish voters have gone to the ballot box.
26/10/2015