Lochhead shows his farming credentials

Published on Friday 22 February 2008 20:56

INDEPENDENCE remains the ultimate objective of the SNP administration, but there is still a clear determination to raise the profile of the rural sector and reward farmers, crofters and others involved in the countryside through making the best use of the devolved powers that Holyrood has had for almost nine years.

That was the message delivered in Dunblane yesterday by Richard Lochhead, the Cabinet secretary for rural affairs when he addressed the annual general meeting of NFU Scotland.

Lochhead began by drawing attention to the fact that the GDP of Scotland lags some way behind that of Norway, Finland, Ireland and Denmark, countries with a population broadly similar to Scotland.

He said: "It will be a challenge to achieve the same levels of success as these other small countries, but it is a realistic challenge. In my view, growth in agriculture should at least match that in other smaller EU countries.

"This would mean, as a minimum, increasing agriculture's gross added value from the present level of 800 million to at least 1 billion by 2016 – ambitious, but I see no reason why it cannot be done."

Lochhead went on to deliver a brief resum of global trends and the obvious fact that demand for food is expanding exponentially in line with a rising population, commenting that farmers can no longer be ignored.

He added: "I am conscious that my generation and that before me have not experienced food shortages, but we should never take food for granted and that is why the Scottish Government will never allow food security to fall off the national agenda."

NFUS members who have heard successive ministers speak over many years tend to be cynical, but Lochhead was given a spontaneous round of applause for his appreciation of the supply and demand situation, especially in the Scottish context.

However, he faces major problems with the London-based department for the environment, food and rural affairs (Defra). There is a huge divergence on how the UK should approach the impending "health check" on the future of the Common Agricultural Policy.

Lochhead said: "There is much in the EU consultation paper that we can agree with, but there are some potentially dangerous rocks in front of us. I am in close contact with my colleagues in Wales and Northern Ireland and pressing to ensure that Defra fights for the whole of the UK.

"However, looking further ahead, to 2013 and beyond, when there are likely to be fundamental changes to the CAP, that is when the devolved administrations will have to make certain that the cause is heard."

Lochhead has grasped his brief over the last nine months with a degree of alacrity and he made it crystal clear that he will not sell farming short.

Following his address, the Cabinet secretary was questioned on the subject of bluetongue disease by

James Irvine, a retired medical practitioner, who now farms near Crieff.

He said: "In my experience the basic principle of disease control is to vaccinate before any disease arrives. You have not ordered any vaccine, which places Scotland in an extraordinarily vulnerable position."

Lochhead simply prevaricated telling the questioner that all options were being considered and that decisions are likely to be reached over the next few days. The bluetongue issue is one that is set to exercise the Scottish Government very soon.