THIS TIME last year any predictions of the farming vote on an UK exit from the European Union would have been quite unequivocal.

It would have been to stay with the status quo by quite an easy margin.

However, The Scottish Farmer's poll of opinion over the past weeks has shown that farming appears to be fed up with the EU. Our survey shows that almost three-quarters of those in the poll want to leave the European family.

That would have been an unthinkable margin last year. But, just when it needed friends most, the 'Stay in' campaign has been hit by a series of self-inflicted blunders.

At home, our SNP government wants us to stay in Europe, yet delivered a pig's ear of a system to administer EU farm payments at an unbelievable cost of something like £10,000 per claimant. Those in UK government who want us to remain are clearly anti-farming (until recently!); and those in Europe continue to shilly-shally with important decision-making and allow filibuster tactics to derail the use of important pesticides, weedkillers and GM technology. All of which have contrived to lose the farming vote.

What farmers really want is a political and fiscal system which allows change at a pace in-keeping with most other trading nations; that is adaptable to individual national needs and not a one-size fits all approach, as at present.

This is going to be an important vote for Scottish farming, whichever way it goes. But, thus far, it is difficult to see any sensible arguments one way or other.

The 'Leave' campaign has hardly mentioned agriculture in any of its campaigning, except to point out historical failings of the CAP; while the 'Stay' campaign has been loathe to give us a workable road map to a successful farming industry in a political environment which is akin to turning the Queen Mary.

If nothing else, this industry needs to know what those who want to leave will definitely deliver and how those who want to stay can expedite change for the better.

There remains much to play for ...

Click the link to answer this week's poll https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/TY7MCVX