The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands Mairi Gougeon has moved to reassure farmers and crofters the Scottish Government was listening to them as they rallied outside Scottish Parliament today.
Farmers, crofters, and rural stakeholders from across Scotland gathered outside Holyrood on Thursday November 28 to urge the Scottish Government to deliver a budget which secures the future of farming and crofting on December 4.
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To a packed crowd, estimated to be between 800 and 1,000 farmers, Cabinet Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: "We need to listen to you."
She said Scotland's farmers and crofters were ‘the backbone of our nation'.
Scottish Government
"You are the lifeblood of our rural communities, you are absolutely vital to our hugely successful, world renowned food and drink industry," she said.
"You are hugely important for our food security, because without you we have not got that."
She said the Scottish Government needed to support the industry in all of that, but the UK Government's Autumn Budget had made that more difficult.
Ms Gougeon said she had heard loudly and clearly Scottish farming's asks of the Scottish Government in the Budget.
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With the Budget next week, Ms Gougeon could not outline what would be contained within it.
She highlighted the ‘cast iron' commitment given by the First Minister John Swinney that £46 million previously deferred from agricultural funding would be returned.
Scottish Budget
But she said she wanted to make another commitment, to work with farmers for both food production and the environment.
"Everything we need to do tackle climate change and restore nature we can only do with your support," she said.
"And it is only right and fair that you get our support."
"We are here, we are listening," she said.
She reiterated pledges there would be no cliff edges in support and that the Government would be maintaining direct payments.
"We are standing with you."
