Scotland

Farming Minister Victoria Prentis has rejected the NFU’s call for a Trade Commission to explore ways to protect food production standards in UK trade policy.

The Scottish Agriculture Bill needs a sunset clause to stop Ministers being able to change policy without scrutiny over the coming decades, says Mike Rumbles, MSP for the North East of Scotland.

More than 90 per cent of rural business owners in Scotland are confident they can reopen their business while safely adhering to social distancing measures.

The Royal Highland Education Trust (RHET) has restructured its approach to linking schools with food and farming, after Covid-19 forced the cancellation of its major shows and events.

The SNP has called on the Chancellor to use the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payment structure to ensure farmers receive coronavirus support.

Livestock transport has become big business as supply chains have become increasingly diverse and, with animal welfare rightly at the fore during developments, the practice itself has experienced some change over the years. H

Industry leaders have been left disappointed by a Government push to pass the Agriculture Bill with little change to its food security measures, despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Farmers will need a serious cash injection from the Government if they are to survive this pandemic, then Brexit, says Deirdre Brock, SNP rural affairs spokesman in Westminster.

Scotland’s finance secretary Kate Forbes has announced a further £220m of grants for businesses, including the recently self-employed, to help them deal with the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 outbreak.

Farmers and crofters across Scotland have united to produce a video to reassure the general public they will continue to work hard to feed the nation as the Covid-19 lockdown continues.