Farmers and crofters “need and deserve” a fairer share of consumer spend from the Scottish food and drink sector, NFUS president Andrew McCornick told the organisation’s AGM in the Radission Blu in Glasgow last week.

“I believe the supply chain is broken. There has been a positive impact on improving the conduct of supermarkets but still more needs to be done to address trading practices,” McCornick said. “I believe we need to continue moving forward with highlighting the clear environmental benefits Scottish farmers and crofters deliver. We can do more, but we need acknowledgement for what we are doing already.”

He added that if Scottish farmers increased soil organic matter by 1% it would do more for climate change than all the trees in Scotland.

“The carbon sequestration delivered through grazing our livestock on otherwise unploughable land is rarely factored into the climate change debate. Scotland is home to 13% of the world’s internationally important blanket bogs, with huge climate change value as a carbon sink.”

Recognition for the public goods farmers provide has been thrown into the spotlight as an issue that needs to be dealt with when the UK leaves the EU and creates its own agricultural policy.

“The farming income figures just out show that despite the current levels of CAP support delivered from the EU, a large proportion of Scottish farmers are receiving less than the minimum wage for the hours that they are putting in.

“Current policy and support will change, but there will still be a need for on-going support for farming and crofting. The structure of that support will change, as will the emphasis on how it is delivered, and that is where we need to push for the Government to create an infrastructure that works for Scottish agriculture.”

The Change document, compiled by the NFU Scotland this year, has generated great discussion among members and indicated to politicians that the industry is ready for change, McCornick said.

“The income from farming figures show that many are working long hours and not achieving fair prices from the marketplace. Consumers are getting cheap, healthy, nutritious food but the margin is elsewhere in the food chain.”