2026 has seen another challenging year for Scottish agriculture. Our producers have seen commodity prices tumbling whilst the cost of essential inputs has soared. The recent conflict has shown yet again how exposed we are to geopolitical shocks that ultimately impact on our food system. Building more resilience in our food system cannot be a choice, but it is not going to happen overnight. Negotiations, policy development and legislation all take time to work through, and we need to get this right.
Amidst all the uncertainty, one thing is certain; leadership in agriculture has never been more important for the future of the industry. It is critical that those in positions of influence have the talent, skills and attributes to press what Scottish agriculture needs at the very highest level of government.
At NFUS, there are leaders right through our membership structures. From individuals in our grassroots branch network, to our national committees and our board of directors. At every level, we need the right people to work with our professional staff. Lobbying is a hard and often relentless…. but we are justifiably proud of the impact and influence that we have on behalf of our members.
This week saw NFUS host a fantastic leadership event for a talented cohort of our members. Primarily focused on women and young people, this saw 40 members join us for a day of insights and discussion about leadership. Our thanks must go to Jenn Stewart of our partners and sponsors, Johnstone Carmichael, panelists Caroline Millar and Jim McLaren. All gave insightful commentary about their leadership experiences, with a few wry reflections along the way. Thanks must go also to Sheila Campbell Lloyd who expertly worked with delegates in the afternoon to draw out their thoughts on what a leadership program could look like for NFUS.
We are working to build a member-informed leadership development program right through NFUS that will enable us to be fit for the future and the most effective lobbying organisation that we can be. Insights from the recent launch event will shape our next step, which is leadership development for our branch chair and vice chair network. This is the first building block of something much bigger that will help to future proof NFUS but also keep us at the heart of policy influence by enabling us to identify, support and nurture talent within our membership.