NFU Scotland will take up Cabinet Secretary Richard Lochhead’s challenge of setting a vision for Scottish agriculture in 2025 – and it will enrol its members in the task.   

The Union believes that at the heart of any vision for agriculture must be an ambition to produce more from our land and to get a better return for our agricultural products to allow farms to be profitable.   

Once a vision is agreed, the Union wants this to drive Government policy, believing that the success of our thriving food and drink sector depends upon us getting this right.

Speaking at the Highland Show, near Edinburgh, the Cabinet Secretary started the process of mapping out what Scottish farming should look like a decade from now. NFU Scotland’s Board of Directors has already given thought to the matter and, in the autumn, the Union will go round its membership to gather their views.

NFU Scotland President Allan Bowie said:
“When the day-to-day job of farming remains so challenging, it can be difficult to look further ahead than next week, next month or next year – but that is exactly what we want our members to do.

“Cabinet Secretary Richard Lochhead wants to have a conversation with farmers on what the vision for Scottish agriculture in 2025 will look like and then put in place the actions to deliver this goal.  As a start point to that discussion, if our successful food and drink sector is to continue to thrive, then it will require farmers to produce more from the land in Scotland.

“That needs a vision built on production and ensuring that we get the best price possible for what we produce.   We want farmers to be innovative and we want to attract the best and brightest of the next generation to farming.  Our ambitions must be set high and then Scottish Government need to follow through with the correct actions and policies that will allow the vision to be fulfilled.

“At NFUS, we are ahead of the game.  Our new board of directors, elected in March of this year, have already begun the process of mapping out what we want Scottish farming to look like in 10 years’ time. That will provide a ‘starter for 10’ for the discussion we will have with our members.  

“Experience has taught us that creating the ‘vision’ is the easy bit and the last thing the industry would want is to simply create a document that fills shelves and gathers dust.  The hard bit is in delivery and putting in place the required steps and actions to put Scottish farming firmly on the front foot.”  

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Contact Bob Carruth on 0131 472 4006