Scottish farmers cannot afford to sit around and wait for answers on what a future agricultural policy will look like, we have animals to feed, cows to milk, crops to sow, but that doesn’t mean we don’t get frustrated at the silence and lack of direction from the Scottish Government.

I am deeply concerned for the future of Scottish farming, a future that it is being dictated by a minority of so-called experts, with little boots on the ground experience, whose ideas and actions, if implemented, could put our farms in serious jeopardy.

We often don’t have the time to act, with fewer people working on farms and more paperwork to sift through than ever, so we elect bodies to speak on our behalf, but those bodies aren’t being heard and farming’s voice is being lost.

I think now is the time for farmers to ‘find that time’ and make sure the powers that be are listening to those who are working the land, feeding the nation, protecting their soils, providing habitats for wildlife and sequestering their carbon. To listen to the ones who are actually delivering the solutions to the climate and nature crises.

I decided to take action recently and invited four cross-party MSPs to our dairy farm here in Lockerbie – Emma Harper; Colin Smythe; Finlay Carson and Oliver Mundell, accompanied by members of NFUS.

I took the time to explain that the draconian measures of the Climate Change Committee (CCC) were not only ill-informed but could do irreversible damage to our industry and the beautiful countryside that we all so admire.

I understand that we need to make changes to hit the COP26 target, to limit global average temperatures rises to 1.5°C, but as I explained to the MSPs, farmers are more than willing to play their part in achieving this and feel frustrated at being too readily portrayed as the villain.

Further, in the COP26 commitments, it also stated that agriculture was not to be hindered in pursuit of these targets – something I feel has fallen on deaf ears.

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The world food organisations recognised that dairy farming will play a key role in supplying a nutritious source of protein to a growing population which is heading towards 10bn people on this planet. I am proud to play a part in that, but frustrated that my ability to do so is being hindered.

My farm, which I run alongside my two sons, milks 460 Holstein cows and averages 11,000 litres on twice a day milking. We are members of the ARLA Farmers European co-op and I explained to the MSPs about the willingness and engagement of our farmers to adapt and join a journey to prove that farmers can farm responsibly and sustainably for the future.

We started this process three years ago collecting on-farm information and to date, European farmers have a carbon emission figure of 1.1, which is less than half the farmers throughout world.

But not resting on this figure, we are using five key levers and a sustainability project that will see us on target to reduce our emissions by 30% in 2030, with a long-term goal to be net zero by 2050.

I am appreciative of the MSPs who took the time to come to my farm and engage, and I believe they 'get it' that farmers can farm in an environmentally sustainable way and be part of the solution, but this message needs to be heard by not just rural MSPs. This message needs to reach those who aren’t connected to food and farming and, sadly, as we were told during the meeting, it sounds like an uphill battle for rural issues to make way with their urban colleagues.

I emphasised that some consumers had short memories of the food shortages which we experienced during the pandemic, so food security must be a priority and protecting domestic food production is the most sustainable way to feed our nation.

The Scottish Government needs to give clear signals to all sectors of agriculture that it is has a future for our next generation of young farmers. At this moment in time, agriculture is declining, livestock figures are falling and planting rates subsiding, and young people are leaving our industry.

Our MSPs need to recognise the importance of food production and maintaining our rural economy. The new Agricultural Bill for supporting agriculture needs to address these issues with direct subsidies and support for farmers who are engaged in sustainable farming.

Farming needs capital grants to improve production and efficiency but this must run alongside the upgrading of our electrical grid system, to allow farming to supply green electricity to the network and reach our renewable potential.

An important message raised at the meeting was that we need clear guidance from NFUS on exactly what support it is requesting for all sectors of agriculture. It has to engage with all stakeholders, large or small and all members and non-members of the union, to get a true reflection of what farmers and the industry is requiring but it also has to be better at communicating back to those voices, what is happening.

Although it is good to have a strong presence from NFUS in the ARIOB group – which is discussing the future of policy – their presence must not be allowed to hinder other farming stakeholders and cross-party politicians from challenging the government’s lack of direction on policy, which is too often the case.

NFUS is not the only voice representing farmers and there must be buy-in from other organisations who have valuable contributions to policy and must be afforded time by government to share their views.

It also scares me that if we don’t have sensible input into these discussions, that we end up with bodies like the CCC carrying too much weight and suggesting damaging proposals, such as a 30% reduction of animals which would decimate our industry.

I would suggest to NFUS president, Martin Kennedy, that if during these discussions he felt that farming wouldn’t be allowed to have a successful future, then he must walk away and say that this is unacceptable. NFUS has the golden gift of leverage and must use it if farming’s voice is ignored.

From what I understood during the meeting, there is only an eight-week window before the Agricultural Bill is to be debated and decided. So, we have very little time left to respond or to play our part engaging with all MSPs to get our messages across.

I would urge all farmers in these coming weeks to immediately contact their MSPs and NFUS to make sure we have a clear mandate for what is needed to ensure a vibrant, successful future for agriculture and the next generation.