Scottish Election 2021: Rennie and Ross make pledges to support Scotland's natural environment

Willie Rennie has said his party would establish new support for Scotland’s farmers to promote climate-friendly farming techniques, and help the agriculture sector boost Scottish produce to consumers in order to cut food import air miles.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie handles a six-week-old badger during a visit to the SSPCA National Wildlife Rescue Centre at Fishcross near Alloa.

During a visit to a farm in Lauder with his South Scotland candidate Catriona Bhatia, he said the Scottish Liberal Democrats would also work across the UK to prevent poor quality food flooding the Scottish market as a result of Brexit and “croft proof” future agricultural support to make sure active, family farmers and crofters are properly supported.

His pledges came as Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross also focused on the environment, saying his party would launch a Nature Bill to reduce the threat of species extinction, expand green spaces in towns and cities, and protect marine life. He also said his party would create a new national park in Dumfries and Galloway.

Both leaders were focusing on Scotland’s natural environment in the second full week of the Holyrood election campaign.

Mr Rennie said his party had secured £5 million more for agriculture transition funding through budget negotiations with the Scottish Government, and added: “Scotland's farmers produce some of the best food, from beef to the berries it's amazing the quality of the products that are grown on our doorsteps.

"The next government must have a renewed focus on ensuring the farmers secure the real benefits of consumer awareness of cutting food miles. The more the food miles the greater the damage to the environment. Cut the miles to boost Scottish farmers.”

He said Scotland’s agriculture should be climate-friendly, and offer a solution to rural unemployment. “We saw how important food security is at the beginning of the pandemic. Farmers worked day-in day-out to keep food on our shelves and tables when global supply chains seized up,” he said.

"We will work collaboratively to develop a new system of agriculture support that recognises Scotland’s particular strengths and needs. If Scotland is to recover from the pandemic, we need every sector running at full capacity, not more barriers, red tape and uncertainty. Our rural areas need a government that would put recovery first."

Meanwhile Douglas Ross said Scotland’s natural environment had suffered from “14 years of SNP neglect”.

He added: “The SNP’s own biodiversity indicators reveal a track record of missed emission targets and ‘substantially lacking’ climate change plans. It is tragic that one in nine species in Scotland are at risk.

“Our ambitious and detailed Nature Bill would turn derelict urban sites green for community benefit and in Galloway we would create Scotland’s third national park.

“We would increase new tree planting to 18,000 hectares annually by 2024 and have a national strategy to remove invasive non-native species which damage our environment.

“Marine life would be protected with a likely expansion of Marine Protected Areas. We can grow our fishing sector and support coastal communities while better protecting our marine environment. The two are not mutually exclusive.

“The climate emergency demands our urgent attention — we cannot afford to waste another five years with a Parliament consumed by the SNP’s separation obsession.”

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