IT IS fanciful in the extreme to believe that Scotland can cut a separate Brexit deal from the rest of the UK. It is simply not going to happen.
It is equally fanciful to believe that our SNP administration in Holyrood is not aware of this situation, no matter how much spin is issued to the contrary.
One ScotGov achievement, of course, is that the continued bluster keeps Scottish matters firmly in the minds of the Brexit negotiators.
However, there is only so much that can be achieved adopting that strategy.
For Scottish farming, emphasis must now move on to ensuring that the current devolved agricultural matters, remain devolved from Westminster. 
Indeed, we should be devoting the vast majority of our efforts into securing even greater autonomy over how future agricultural policy and support is delivered to Scotland, with our far greater emphasis on Less Favoured Areas.
If Scottish farming is to thrive and prosper post Brexit, then we must have a support system which delivers for our specific needs and which primarily is targeted at keeping farming and people at the heart of our most remote communities.
In essence, this means that livestock production must be encouraged in our upland areas.
For starters, we could do with a commitment over the missing millions of convergence cash which we were supposed to receive three years ago.
There is a growing suspicion that the UK government hopes to hold on to the cash until Brexit takes place and when this money will be off the table.
This must be an immediate Scottish priority to see that this does not happen.
Nearer home, ScotGov should take a leap of faith and slacken off its greening requirements. Food production should never be allowed to play second fiddle to the more outlandish claims from those on the extreme edge of the environmentalist movement.