SHRINKING PROFIT margins in arable farming have been highlighted to new SNP MP Calum Kerr during a farm visit in his constituency of Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk.
Mr Kerr, who is the Shadow SNP Westminster Group Leader for Environment & Rural Affairs, visited Colin McGregor and David Fuller from McGregor Farms in Coldstream, Berwickshire, alongside Allan Bowie, President of the National Farmers Union Scotland, Angus Bell from Active Business Partnerships and Catherine Barrett and Neil Thomson from Bayer CropScience.
Wheat prices have remained unchanged since 1985, with profit margins squeezed and cost of production doubled, according to Mr McGregor.
Discussions covered a range of issues facing the industry, with Mr Bowie highlighting some of the political challenges faced by farmers in Scotland due to the differences in implementation of the new CAP reform between England and Scotland and in particular crop margins, nitrogenous crops and buffer zones on Envitonmental Focus Area land.
“The harvest dates of nitrogenous crops on EFA land are causing particular concern, especially in The Borders when their neighbours have a more advantageous harvest date,” said Mr Bowie.
With farmers in four counties in England recently granted emergency use of neonicotinoids, Neil Thomson, commercial technical manager for Bayer CropScience in Scotland used demonstration plots on the farm to highlight the benefits of seed protection products in the battle against wheat diseases: “The armoury growers can use to control weeds, pests and diseases has been steadily diminishing due to resistance developing to the products being used and increasingly stringent regulations.”
The area has suffered from poor weather conditions this summer, which Mr McGregor said was also affecting the profitability of crops: “The challenges facing growers have increased, with more pressure from weeds, diseases and pests and extreme weather patterns taking their toll,” he said. “This year, for example, it was very dry at Coldstream with 33% of average rain from January to June, and then we had 135mm rain in July.”
Bayer CropScience said it has been organising similar farm visits for MPs to help them understand the issues facing arable farmers.
“Agriculture is a vitally important industry in the UK, yet many people do not know the level of complexity involved in getting food to their table. This extends to some politicians.
“So we have been helping to facilitate meetings between MPs and farmers in their local constituencies so they can find out for themselves about the issues facing agriculture both at a local and national level,” explained Miss Barrett.
- For in-depth news and views on Scottish agriculture, see this Friday’s issue of The Scottish Farmer or visit www.thescottishfarmer.co.uk
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