Sir, – There is no doubt that the lockdown is testing the resilience of most, if not all, farming businesses, including our own here at Williamwood and that it has moved the matter of food self-sustainability up the political agenda.
But that should not be a reason to increase support for production at the expense of support for the environment and combating climate change. Environmental schemes are not 'airy-fairy' (The SF's editorial, last week) and climate mitigation is essential.
We still face major challenges on both fronts and to abandon support for them now, however temporarily and superficially appealing, would jeopardise the interests of future generations.
As much now as at any time, we need to continue to farm by the mantra 'live as if you will farm forever'. The pandemic will pass but the other challenges will not, unless we continue to address them with government support.
Michael Clarke
Scotland chair,
Nature Friendly Farming Network.
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