The three candidates vying to fill two vice-president roles have been touring the country speaking to members and addressing meetings.

The Scottish Farmer went to one of the first meetings, in Oldmeldrum, to hear from farmers why they should get members' votes at the upcoming NFUS agm, in Glasgow. Each addressed the meeting alone with a seven-minute speech which was followed by two questions.

Then the three came back to the stage for a panel session chaired by Alan Simpson, Mains of Leslie.

First up was Alasdair Macnab, who explained he ‘liked the way NFUS worked’ and he would stand up for those who couldn’t stand up for themselves.

The farmer and vet said: “NFUS has to be driven from the bottom up, not the top down. I have track record of making things happen to time, to target and to budget.”

He added that he was no stranger to hand work, having worked as a vet, bought his own farm and helped his wife, who runs a B and B whilst also working full-time. Mr MacNab said he wanted to build on his time as the chair of the legal and technical committee where he has been engaging with members through focus groups, discussion groups and presentations.

The second candidate to speak was Aberdeenshire farmer, Andrew Connon, who pitched his manifesto on plain talking and getting the basics right.

The livestock farmer explained during his time as vice-president over the last two years he had been outspoken on ‘tree planting, seed potato ban, the pig sector crisis, slurry regulation changes, school meals, agricultural bill and the scandal of the west coast ferry service’.

He added: “It's time that farming got the respect it deserves. We make a massive contribution to nature, biodiversity and the economy. Too often the government are creating problems and working in silos, and deny the reality on some issues. As a union we need to bare out teeth more when needed.”

Finally, Robin Traquair took to the stage to pitch for member support with his speech.

The Lothian pig farmer talked about the work he had undertaken during his time as vice-president of NFU Scotland, highlighting efforts to engage with government on the slurry and silage storage consultation and the impact the union was having to make rules more manageable.

He recalled a meeting earlier in 2022 with retailers when he said: “I told the supermarkets that high cereal prices meant that eggs and pork prices will have to rise, or we will see shortages. And I am sorry to say we were proved right, eggs are short and we see the sow herd contracting.”

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Oldmeldrum farmer, Patrick Sleigh, asked for the qualities needed in the next CEO of NFUS. Alasdair Macnab said: “Firstly, they need to be able to properly run a business. Something which has been lacking in the union is proper process, procedures and systems to deliver what needs to be done. We have a £3m turnover and the money needs to be sorted out so more goes into lobbying.”

Former LFA committee chair, Sandy Tulloch, asked about tree planting on agricultural land, to which Andrew Connon said: “Currently, grade 3.2 or worse can be planted trees on as it is not ‘prime agricultural land’ but some land which is 5 is productive.

"I am totally against productive land being planted on for trees. It is shocking and immoral to be planting on that land.”

North-east farmer Stuart Johnston asked how candidates would stand up for NFUS against the other competing NGOs in the upcoming Agricultural Bill.

Robin Traquair said: “First of all, there is crucial work being done with ARIOB. We need to get the funding from Westminster and ensure it is spent on farming as it is supposed to be – I don’t like to see money disappearing.”