AGRISCOT'S TRADITIONAL face off between the two heavyweights of Scottish agri-politics, the incumbent NFU Scotland president and the ScotGov rural economy minister, played out as a draw in front of the troops at the Ingliston seminar this week.

President Andrew McCornick, who could write a travel book on Scotland following the union's whistle-stop tour to consult its members about Brexit, used the event to pointedly call on politicians in all the UK's parliaments to put aside their differences and focus on a longer term view of policy that will allow farmers and crofters to plan their post-Brexit future.

“Scotland’s farmers and crofters work in scales of production that are measured in years, so we need to move away from short-term fixes," said Mr McCornick. "A long-term view of policy and support is essential to allow all parts of our industry to make decisions. We are the cornerstone of a food and drink sector looking to double in size by 2030 – that ambition will only be realised if we grow our agricultural output.

“To deliver on the right policies for Scotland, all politicians in all parliaments need to show genuine commitment to work together to secure the future for our industry, our environment and our rural economy. The measure of success will be judged in farmers’ and crofters’ incomes," he said. "These need to be improved now and beyond the Brexit process to allow us to invest in our businesses and deliver food, landscapes, jobs, environmental benefits and a thriving rural economy.

“Brexit is the wake-up call and the opportunity to change and do better, " concluded Mr McCornick.

But one cross border issue that was easy to agree on was the question of whether lynx should be reintroduced to the UK wild. Rural economy supremo Mr Ewing had already lit the touchpaper at the end of his speech, when he had quipped: "I'm not wild about alien species who might eat your sheep for lunch."

Pursued by the National Sheep Association's Scottish leader, John Fyall, for assurances that the Scottish Government would actively work to ensure that the species never be allowed to set an un-caged foot in Scotland, Mr Ewing told Mr Fyall: "The Scottish Government has no plans to re-introduce Lynx to Scotland. There is no way that I would OK such a move."

Mr McCornick concurred: "NFUS would never support such a move. It's a Pandora's box."