I was reflecting on the words of Scott Walker from the NFUS AGM, when he said farmers need to look to new markets and investigate different models. For the majority of products and commodities these days this means export, but is export the prize we think it is?

The numbers for Scotch whisky or Scottish salmon are huge, but from a socio -economic perspective how much of the profit from these booming markets does filter back to the primary operators and the communities around them.

Of course, no one can deride the lifeblood the outlay from having the rural workforce on the ground sustains communities, but how much of the money filters back to the multinational mother companies elsewhere on the globe?

The red meat sector, however, is one of the last bastions which is home grown, and for this sector there could be a silver lining if the industry is forward thinking and acts on the foot. As a primary sector producer, red meat could be one of the exceptions to the value-added profits flowing elsewhere and Brexit, providing the opportunity for those willing to take it.

Farmers say more often than not that they do not feel an equal partner in the supply chain, and ultimately they do not benefit from any added value or the final price on shelf.

But foreign markets are looking for good-quality meats with a great story and reputation. It is not necessarily all about the added value, as it is more about the meat. There are already great stories of large and small volumes being shipped out with a premium price tag being paid for the reputation, husbandry and, let’s face it, prosaic stories.

Foreign markets are interested in native breeds, our grass, on some occasions the seaweed, our seasonality, taste, tradition and traceability.

Should we not be thinking to create a meat hub to advise on export, to bring veterinary due diligence, paperwork process, logistics expertise and will together? To facilitate deals and reduce the burden of red tape for each small deal, for those willing to put themselves out there?

There was huge effort put into the Scotland Food & Drink Showcasing event at Gleneagles. Should we noft be on the front foot inviting meat buyers to something similar for the Scottish red meat sector? Meeting processors, farmers and buyers tasting our produce so they know Scotland is open for business, deal or no deal. Commodities often become more prized the less you can access them, KFC may see some of that when its logistics hiccups are resolved.

The story, however, is not solely all about export or retail, there are still initiatives in the domestic supply chain where the tide may be moving in agriculture’s’ favour.

The launch of the consultation on the Good Food Nation Bill in the Scottish Parliament this week was reporting on the Good Food Commission summit last September, and is much more interested in the homegrown opportunity. There is already traction here, with £80 million of public sector stock being procured from Scotland.

The message from the initial draft re-emphasises the point on the mismatch in Scotland between what we produce and what we eat. Not surprisingly, France is cited as a leading light on this agenda, making the commitment in early February 2018 to have 55% of its public sector food sourced locally or organically by 2022.

From the measures proposed, there is an aspiration to break up bigger contracts in favour of local supply. The bill goes on to touch on food culture too, with measures on the education front recommending to have more farm visits and more education on where our food comes from.

These are not new notions, but it does emphasise the polarising of thought in many areas of Scottish policy – which, if successful, could be promising for the sector.