Farming leaders campaigning for research

SCOTTISH farming leaders yesterday came out in force to emphasise the importance of research to the livestock sector.

In a letter to the press, NFU Scotland, the National Beef Association Scotland, the National Sheep Association Scotland, the Scottish Beef Cattle Association and the Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers have expressed fears that other research priorities may swamp some world-class work currently being carried out.

In particular, the farming leaders fear there is a threat to the Moredun Research Institute which is Scotland's world-leading animal health and welfare research base.

While they accepted these issues reflect the important, growing challenges facing the whole agriculture industry over the coming years, they consider it bizarre that there seems to be a view pervading the Scottish Government that current and ongoing animal health research is somehow unrelated to these objectives.

The view that the Moredun did not 'fit' with these new objectives seemed to them to be "clearly erroneous" and was an extremely narrow view of animal health's role in Scotland and beyond, and one that requires urgent attention and clarification.

"Advances in improving animal health are central to optimal biological and productive efficiency, reducing mortality and, of course, animal welfare; all of which play a pivotal role in meeting the impending challenges of food security and public health, food policy, climate change and environmental protection."

Last night Richard Lochhead, cabinet secretary for rural affairs, rebutted the claims, saying that animal health research was extremely important to Scotland and the funding budget has remained unchanged.

He said: "All the research institutes have been asked to do is to share their findings and work more closely together to maximise the value of their work and the funding opportunities available."