Not worthy of my vote!

….It dawned on me a while back that Governments both north and south of the border only want one thing from agriculture and that is cheap food for the masses. They don’t really care where it comes from or who produces it. If the masses can’t get access to affordable food, people go hungry, riots and revolution ensues and Governments fall, ‘tis the case throughout history in every country. Where does that place farmers with a general election looming?

Looking briefly at some Government actions and policies and following the evidence to see what they really think of agriculture.

The current Scottish Government policy is to increase afforestation of our land from 17% to 25%. The aim being to meet various (and unproven) climate change criteria. That is a massive increase in forestry which is to the detriment of hill farmers and the livestock industry.

I make no dispersions here, I am a small scale hill livestock producer so this policy attacks me!

At this point I recommend all go to the Hutton Institute website and search “Land Capability for Agriculture in Scotland” (1). Afforestation impacts on all stock rearing land even to grades for mixed agriculture at grade 3.2. The forest crop is a 40 year wait. Once in trees the ground will never be returned to cultivation or grazing. If you think cattle are a slow return consider you get 40 crops of calves or lambs off the same hill before you cut your trees but it’s all about tax isn’t it. Here I would recommend a book called “the Scottish Highland Estate” by Michael Wigan, gives a good account of the pitfalls of forestry. (it is a very good book)

“Yellowstone National Park” in the USA was on the TV recently. I think Bison are amazing creatures, they can survive at -40 o C and find food three foot under snow (makes Highlanders look real softies, they’re not!) The Bison also must fight off packs of wolves nipping at their heels until eventually an old bull can take no more and his throat is ripped out and he becomes dinner for the pack. Is that a scene we really want in Scotland.? A tagged domestic cow chased then surrounded by a pack of wolves and its throat ripped out? Not sure that will be shown after teatime for the kids on Countryfile?

The most recent attempt at reintroduction has not been without problems. Here I refer to sea eagles. The problem in summary, reintroduce a large predator and supply it with an endless supply of food. That food source being domestic sheep. Hill farmers produce sheep in abundance that’s what they do (we call them store lambs) sea eagles call them easy food. If somebody has smartphone footage of lamb predation please put it on “YouTube”. Predator numbers will multiply exponentially until the food runs out thereafter with no food they will all starve to death. Nature’s way of restoring equilibrium.

The reintroduction of sea eagles has been ill conceived, poorly planned with no contingencies should problems arise and is now clearly out of control. What makes it even worse is those who reintroduced them can’t control the numbers because they are protected by laws they required before re-introduction. So, as a sheep farmer I’d suggest changing to cattle until sea eagles die off due to lack of food. Alternatively, the Scottish Government could pay you a good price per lamb to feed the sea eagles. But I’m sure you didn’t become sheep farmers to inadvertently end up as safari park rangers feeding the eagles. Not sure what the legal stance is with SSPCA, QMS and RSPB, SNH regarding animal welfare issues of young lambs being live bait for sea eagles? Could SSPCA prosecute RSPB & SNH for cruelty to animals or QMS remove farm assurance for poor welfare?

Again, with sheep. The main supermarkets have been full of NZ lamb at £5/kg while Scottish and Eblex lamb has been retailing at about £11 to £13/kg. To spot the difference you need to look very closely to see where it comes from, the label colours are all the same so it is easy to pick up NZ unsuspectingly. I did try some at a giveaway price of £5 for an entire leg. The NZ lamb has been retailed before most of the long keep “hill” lambs from Lairg or Dalmally are ready resulting in poor finished lamb prices this year. I thought the NZ lamb was meant to fill the gap between the last hoggs and the following spring born crop being ready? Could the Minister explain these early imports to the near bankrupt lamb finishers.

Briefly, single farm payments…….don’t bank on getting that much longer. If you’ve not got it yet or is always late what does that tell you?

Historically Scotland has been a livestock country, comprising 18% Improved Grassland and 51% Rough Grazing (1). By contrast Norway, Sweden and Finland are famous for their forestry, just think of a Scandinavian furniture retailer.

Our livestock industry is being assaulted. We are currently engaged in a battle to preserve it but politicians of all colours are doing precious little for us as I’ve voiced above. They don’t care, no votes in farming. So, until they do give a moo (or baa) I vote for “None of the Above.”

Ian Duncan,

Upper Robieston,

Huntly