Leading Scottish politicians will address farmers and crofters at an upcoming rally which is set to call for food production to be at the centre of new agricultural policy.
Momentum is growing behind the #FoodNeedsAFarmer demonstration taking place outside the Scottish Parliament on 2 November from 12pm to 2pm.
The aim of the rally is to deliver a message to the Scottish government and MSPs that farming and food production must be the central pillar of new farm policy.
Politicians who have accepted an invite to address the rally include the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs Mairi Gougeon and Scottish Conservative Party leader Douglas Ross.
Scottish Labour Party’s Colin Smyth MSP, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton and Green MSP Ariane Burgess will also attend.
The demonstration comes at a time when Scotland’s farmers and crofters are being consulted by the Scottish government on a future agricultural policy for the nation.
However, according to NFU Scotland President Martin Kennedy, farmers and crofters were being asked to discuss "massive issues in an information vacuum".
Despite several requests, he said the industry had no information on how new powers created by the proposed new Agriculture Bill would put food production in the spotlight.
He said: “Farmers will deliver a clear message that any powers created by the Agriculture Bill must put food production at the heart of delivering all the economic, social and environmental benefits that agricultural businesses will be asked to deliver.
“The Scottish Parliament must acknowledge that active farming and crofting have the answers when it comes to putting high quality, local, sustainable, and affordable food on the table.
“Only farmers and crofters can turn the dry legislation of a new Agriculture Bill into practices that deliver for food, climate and nature but we need to know now from Scottish Government what those options look like."
He warned that the lack of recognition of the industry within the Bill was "unacceptable" as it "fails to acknowledge the urgent need to address the worsening food security crisis."
"We are holding this rally to drive home the message that #FoodNeedsAFarmer," Mr Kennedy said.
