Sir, – Farming seems to be in a bad place right now.

Following James Porter’s recent Farmer’s View on the truth about migrant workers, I read an article tackling a connected issue entitled 'The real reasons why British workers won’t pick fruit'.

This is a highly significant conversation as it opens up even deeper self-made problems in our now highly vulnerable farming industry. In these crowded islands, the exciting prospect of radical change to all things farming might well ensue.

Frankly, the current concerns in the highly labour-dependent sectors of farming are direct result of the age old throbbing sore whereby many farmers who have thriven have done so thanks to a labour force enduring work and living conditions the farmers themselves would not tolerate as a permanent lifestyle.

In effect, we exploited others of lesser opportunity. A willing transient labour force might appear ideal to meet the seasonal needs of fruit and veg growers, but, even without Brexit, the permanence of such a labour force is limited and dependent on lack of opportunity nearer to its home, whether that be in our urban areas or abroad.

Our farming, both arable and livestock, will gain stability when all working within the farming industry have a permanent home alongside a clear stake in the industry and countryside.

Planning has a major role to play in this. It is clear that the needs of a rural workforce have been neglected with many farm houses, cottages and steadings freely converted to country homes for those non-rurally employed seeking a home in the countryside. Consequently, an ever-increasing number of the farm labour force has an ever decreasing association with the countryside from which they derive their livelihood.

Moreover, due to farm support being proportionate to scale of enterprise, not only do we have a distinct lack of opportunity for younger generations to find an opportunity to farm, but skilled farm labour is difficult to find. More and more farms are dependent on transient, migrant or off-farm housed labour.

All-in-all, this is a sure recipe for long-overdue radical change in the structure of agriculture throughout Scotland.

Tom Gray

West Park,

Braco.