Cut the rural cost of living and help farmers to flourish

Scottish Liberal Democrat deputy leader Wendy Chamberlain has today used a visit to Craigies farm near Edinburgh to set out her party’s plans for helping farmers to flourish, including increasing food self-sufficiency by 10% to reduce Scotland’s exposure to potential shocks and interruptions to the supply of food, as she highlighted how her party has set out the most comprehensive plan for farming of any party in this election.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats’ plan will:

• Ringfence agriculture funding, protect support payments and move to 3-year funding deals to give farmers the confidence and certainty they need.
• Declare the Scottish Government’s support for Alistair Carmichael MP’s Food Supply Chain Fairness Bill to get fairer prices for farmers and food producers across the UK, bringing new checks and balances on the power of the big supermarkets.
• Support a new bespoke UK-EU customs union, making it easier for businesses to export to key markets in the EU.
• Champion the scrapping of the family farm tax altogether, protecting generational farming, rural livelihoods and food security.

Wendy Chamberlain said:

“When it comes to food and drink, Scotland has got so much going for it. But nobody is getting a fair deal if people can’t afford to buy healthy food and producers can’t make a profit producing it.

“Hardworking farmers have had to contend with the Conservatives’ botched deal with the EU damaging their ability to export. It has ushered in barriers, red-tape and trade deals that pose a risk to our high standards. People feel let down by debacles including the SNP Government’s Future Farming Investment Scheme that became a lottery for the farmers it was supposed to help.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats will stand up for our farmers and crofters because we know they are the linchpins of our rural communities. We have set out the most comprehensive plan for farming of any party in this election because caring about our country must include caring about how we feed our country. Homegrown food is in the national interest and essential for our security. International uncertainty and President Trump’s destructive trade war should trigger a strategic increase in domestic food production.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats will cut the cost of rural living, help farmers to flourish and deliver change with fairness at its heart. That’s our positive message to rural communities.

“The more MSPs we elect, the more we can get done. That’s why I am urging voters to back Scottish Liberal Democrats on your peach regional ballot.”