Sir

I know this might be controversial but here goes nothing.

A few weeks ago, Dutch farmers marched (tractored?) onto Amsterdam, then it was the Germans blocking Berlin with thousands of tractors, now the French have joined in. Meanwhile in the UK... crickets.

Don’t get me wrong, I know that the French are known for protesting everything, it’s like second nature, but how often do you see Germans and Dutch down in the streets? For them to do that it has to be bad. In France, a farmer takes their own lives every other day, in Switzerland, the suicide rate in farmers is 40% higher than the general population, in the UK the mental health crisis in rural communities is terrifying and we don’t even begin to comprehend how deep it goes.

All that because the economic pressure is too much, whilst we are getting less and less support from all sides. Farms are closing every week all around the country! Yet we do nothing, and just wait for our next government to arrive, hoping for an improvement that never comes. Farming all over Europe is in crisis and under attack, and if you chat with any farmer in Scotland (or the UK, or Europe in general), you’ll have roughly the same conversation: money is tight (if there is any), there is no one to take over, there is too much work and not enough support, and the media and general public treat us like sh*t.

Everyone is angry but we don’t fight back. And let’s be real, writing a letter or a complaint after that terrible 'documentary' is hardly going to change people’s view. Why do we tolerate the media treating us like this? Why do we tolerate vegan protests screaming about 'burning every farm to the ground'? Why do we allow people to threaten farmers and their family, sending rape and death threats to kids that aren’t even old enough to be teenagers? How is any of this acceptable?!

Why do we talk so much about Rebellion Extinction, or Greta Thunberg? Because they created protests and disruption. It isn’t everyone’s taste but at least they are being heard. Protesting has always been a way for the voiceless to have a voice, from women and their right to vote, to miners losing their jobs, to teenagers trying to do something about the climate crisis.

Marching on Holyrood or Westminster isn’t a magical solution, it won’t solve everything in one day, but at least we will be heard and we will have a seat at the table, and it won’t just be politicians talking 'on our behalf' and the media vilifying us every day anymore.

I am tired and angry of seeing people suffering when we have such an important job. Regardless of what you believe on Brexit and Europe, we need to do something for our farming and rural lives, otherwise it will only get worse. After all, don’t farmers feed Britain?

An Angry Farmer

(name and address supplied)