IF WE have learned one thing in 2016, it is – don't trust opinion polls. First the pollsters got it wrong with the Brexit vote, and now with Donald Trump elected to the world's most powerful office, the pollsters will hardly ever be believed again.
The big question we have to face is what will the Trump victory mean for farmers? Certainly, the farmers of America must believe better times are around the corner. Why else would the rural turnout by unusually high, especially in the Mid West farming states which by and large turned their backs on the Democrats and were instrumental in pushing Trump through the White House door.
As an avowed 'protectionist' Trump certainly appealed to US farming interests. At the very least, world free trade deals all face differing ratings of risk.
What will that mean for Scottish farmers? Any early indications that world free trade deals are at risk, will be welcomed by most EU members states, including the Brexit voting UK.
It is early days, but anything that protects Scottish farming interests from the vagaries of world commodity markets must be a good thing.