Over the last three weeks the struggles of living on the outer edges of Scotland such as Orkney have become clear. What has also become clear is the immense sense of togetherness within these communities and their ability to turn difficulties into opportunities.

While every member of the Orkney islands possesses this sense of community, within each island there is another distinct identity. Westray is one such island. Home to just 600 people and with a span of just 15 miles, it has made itself a template for vitality and prosperity on a small island.

The foundations for much of this success have their roots in the island’s agricultural community.

Any farmer from the island will tell a similar story.

“Cows are the backbone of the islands economy and our continued survival depends on the continued viability of suckler farming.”

This has been reflected in the level of lobbying from Westray farmers that was crucial in securing additional funding for Scotland’s islands under the Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme (SSBSS). The importance of schemes like the SSBSS cannot be understated for these farmers but the general feeling is that more still needs to be done, especially with the looming threat of Brexit and the possibility of cuts to funding.

A close-knit community

Given the size of the farming community on the island, the farmers have been able to establish a very close-knit discussion group.

Here, they have exchanged ideas on everything from financial benchmarking to soil testing and animal health.

The feeling was that each had something they were best at and when they came together in a group that they trusted it was easy to identify the benefits.

One of the major issues for the farmers on Westray is the additional costs due to their distance from market. While all Orkney farmers pay a shipping fee for cattle sold to the mainland, those on the outer islands must pay a higher amount to first transport their animals to the mart in Kirkwall. The clear message from the farmers in these peripheral areas is that they want to see increased support for those who are carrying stock.

The biggest fear

The fear amongst the community is that, with limited access to job opportunities outside of agriculture, a reduction in the number of farms, something that has already been seen on a number of Orcadian islands, would make it hard to sustain economic activity and a vibrant community on the island.

However, with tailored supports and a sufficient budget, the farmers of Orkney have no doubt they can deliver both jobs and environmental biodiversity.

There is no shrinking from the size of the task that faces them but as one young farmer put it: “When you have a bonnie summer’s day and you look out over Westray there is nothing that beats that feeling.”