By stewartb
The initial purpose here was to comment solely on a divergence of view between the National Farmers Union in Scotland (NFU Scotland ) and the Tory Party. The difference became evident in responses to the First Minister’s speech to NFU Scotland’s annual conference in Glasgow on 9 February. But reading the coverage of the same speech on the BBC News website’s Scotland page, additional noteworthy aspects emerged!
The FM was setting out the Scottish Government’s future funding plans for the agriculture sector as necessitated by the transition away from the EU Common Agriculture Policy, post-Brexit.
Responding at the event, the President of NFU Scotland, Martin Kennedy said: (with my emphasis) “We welcome the First Minister delivering clarity on future levels of support to be delivered under Scotland’s future agricultural policy.
‘Equally important was the First Minister’s recognition of the economic importance of our sector and his stated ambition that he wants to see our production of high-quality food and drink grow. That needs farming and crofting to be at the heart of the new agricultural policy and this tier 1 and tier 2 funding announcement is a lobbying success for NFU Scotland.’
The above quotes come from a press statement from the farmers’ union issued on 9 February.
In its coverage, the Scotland page of the BBC News website ran with this headline: ‘Scottish farmers win battle over food subsidies’ (see https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-68216387) We’ll let the framing pass!
Oddly (or perhaps not!), the BBC Scotland piece does not include a single quote from NFU Scotland’s President: indeed nowhere is there really a direct reference to the farmers’ union ‘welcoming’ the Scottish Government’s decision. There is a lot made about environmentalists who disagree with what is planned and a lot about the different approach being adopted by the Westminster government for farming in England, with the implication Westminster’s scheme has greater merit.
Returning to the NFU Scotland press release, the President was clear about challenges ahead, stating: “the huge unknown is (sic) all of this is what agricultural funding will be made available to Scotland by Westminster and that we have no certainties beyond the end of the current parliament. We are in an election year, and we have made our case clear that we need at least another £1b to be added to the UK budget for agriculture”.
It will come as no surprise to regular readers of TuS to learn that the BBC Scotland article makes no mention of these critical and cautionary remarks from NFU Scotland’s President. And it’s not as if a BBC Scotland sector specialist would be unaware of the issue being referred to by the President. There is a press statement issued by the Scottish Government on 26 November 2023 entitled: ’Agri sector requires funding certainty – Cabinet Secretary calls for EU funds to be replaced’.
See https://www.gov.scot/news/agri-sector-requires-funding-certainty/
This states: ’The Scottish agriculture sector requires future funding certainty due to the long term nature of investment decisions and long lead-in time for farmers, crofters and land managers, says Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon.’
She wrote in a letter to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Barclay: “While we were in the EU, we enjoyed the benefit of a seven-year multi-annual framework with Scotland receiving nearly a billion pounds in funding annually to support farming, food production, woodland creation, environmental protection and wider rural priorities. Since Brexit, our funding allocation has been on an annual basis, and shrinking.
“This has direct implications on the management of our existing programme and our Agriculture Reform Programme. It would be a great start to our working relationship if you might commit at the earliest possible opportunity that the UK Government will fully replace EU funds in order to minimise the disruption to rural industries.”
Returning to the FM’s speech at the NFU Scotland conference, the Scottish Farmer magazine covered the news on 9 February under this headline: ‘First Minister gives agri funding clarity in NFUS speech’. It refers to the FM’s ‘wide-ranging speech’ and quotes the NFU Scotland President’s positive responses. It also references his remark on the “huge unknown” that is the level of agricultural funding to be made available to Scotland by Westminster. So at least one journalist thought this significant, just not one from BBC Scotland!
Going back to the initial purpose of the blog post, the Scottish Farmer notes that the FM’s speech ‘was not universally welcomed’: ’Speaking after the event, Scottish Tory MSP Ed Mountain said: “Farmers, like myself in the audience, will rightly have been left feeling completely underwhelmed by Humza Yousaf’s hapless speech that failed to address a range of key issues concerning the industry.’ (‘Ed’? Is the Scottish Farmer referring to Sir Edward Brian Stanford Mountain, 4th Baronet?)
Courtesy of the same article, we learn that even the spokesperson for Scottish Land and Estates allowed herself to acknowledge, if grudgingly, come positives in contrast to the Tory: ‘the announcements will increase industry confidence to some degree’; she welcomed the commitment that agriculture policy would be ‘co-designed’; she ‘welcomed the announcement that the government will continue to support high-quality livestock production – as long as it is sustainable production, we know it can form a key part of ecosystems and habitat restoration.’
Not newsworthy for the BBC in England?
On 4 January, the Independent – unlike the BBC News website it seems – regarded this a newsworthy: ‘Post-Brexit subsidy scheme leaves UK farmers ‘hugely frustrated – Environment secretary Steve Barclay sets out long-awaited plan to replace EU agricultural payments’
Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/brexit-farming-subsidies-uk-barclay-b2473257.html
In this article we learn: ’.. the National Farmers Union (NFU) said there were still “more questions than answers”, long after the post-Brexit consultation launched in 2018.’
And: ‘NFU vice-president David Exwood said: “It remains hugely frustrating that nearly six years on [from the consultation] … government is still a long way behind on its commitments.”
There was no indication of this discontent in England towards the UK government in the BBC Scotland’s description of what, in its partial coverage of the FM’s speech, was referred to as England setting off ‘in a different direction’. We can imagine how BBC Scotland would have reacted to a statement from NFU Scotland comparable to that from the NFU in England!
Would ‘Ed’ have preferred this reaction to the Scottish Government from the farmers’ union in Scotland? (I’m stopping myself from saying ‘I suspect BBC Scotland might’!)
Whilst in Wales!
And coming up to date, from the NFU Cymru website dated 9 February: ‘NFU Cymru arranges urgent talks with Welsh Government’.
In this we learn: ’NFU Cymru President, Aled Jones said: “Having travelled the length and breadth of Wales in the past week and met with thousands of members, it is clear that the current Sustainable Farming Scheme (SFS) consultation and the proposals laid out in it are causing a deep sense of anguish and concern as members contemplate the future scheme and the implications on their own individual business.’
The Wales section of the BBC News website in the last 24 hours had this headline: ‘Wrexham arrest after farmers blocks city in protest’ and reported: ‘A man has been arrested following criminal damage after a fleet of about 30 tractors blocked a main road in Wrexham. Farm vehicles along with 20 pick-ups drove to the constituency office of Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths.
Adding: ’The protest was against the Welsh government’s proposed new farm subsidy scheme’ and ‘The Wrexham protest was the latest action after 3,000 farmers gathered in Carmarthen last week warning of “huge unrest” because of the proposed scheme.’
What ‘good’ headlines the above information would have provided for BBC Scotland – if only!
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
We know why the BBC report in this way but why does the SNP never challenge them.
You have produced endless examples of misleading report and the SNP say nothing.
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How do we know that the SNP say nothing?……the bbc won’t report it!!! Neither will the English run unionist papers and media in Scotland……means undecided voters don’t have ALL the facts therefore more likely to vote for the horrible “status quo” or for red Tory labour!!! It is up to all of us to get the message out!!!
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Exactly. I commented here a week or so ago about someone I know who is what I’d call an SNP sceptic, a result of misinformation mostly, but not immune to independence it seems.
Anyway she is a wonderful person, working in the tech industry, with nothing good to say about ScotGov in relation to her job, and related issues. I sent lots of info, links to blogs, and other pro independence factual media platforms, and in fact happened to find an article about the SNP funding a tech initiative which, she used in her tech journalism job. Brilliant. It’s crucial to share facts and information, talk to people, understand their concerns but also point out how they are being misled by the media and indeed the ‘unionist’ parties, who of course rely on people not having all of the facts and information to help them make informed choices.
We political nerds need to share as much info as possible. I suspect many SNP sceptics
do not even check out the relevant facts they need via the ScotGov website, to make sure they are not being fooled by the BritNat media. Sigh.
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“How do we know that the SNP say nothing?……the bbc won’t report it!!! “
Exactly spot on……..well said and noted….after all……
Who is it that the BBC and other media are platforming and promoting in Scotland just now (indeed anyone BUT the SNP) and who is it that the media always seek out to apparently have to ‘defend their position” against what is a constant pro UK politically motivated and instigated attack…….and who is complicit with Pro UK political parties in trying to reinforce the anti SNP and anti independence message….that would be the same BritNat media.
Research the monopoly or rather the very much pro UK media stitch up within the UK….all who oppose both the SNP and Scottish Independence and support the UK state.
GB News & Talk TV presenters of programmes = current Tory MP’s, ex Labour & Tory MP’s, ex Brexit party MEP’s, Reform UK party politicians, newspaper journalists and Ex political editors from Tory newspapers, Ex FM of DUP, Boris Johnson the Ex Tory MP and PM, Ex Good Morning Britain presenter, guests from Daily BritNat newspapers, rogue individuals from rogue organisations and Think tanks (some who are also guests on SKY’s nightly paper review and too also guests on panels of BBC QT programme)…..
Times Radio presenter of a programme = Ruth Davidson Tory Peer
LBC Radio presenters of programmes = David Lammy Labour MP and member of Labour shadow cabinet, Rachel Johnson the sister of ex Tory PM Boris J, Ayesha Hazarika former political adviser to senior Labour politicians and current supporter of Labour party (under Starmer).
ITV’s Good Morning Britain guest presenter = Ed Balls (Labour member and ex Labour MP whose wife , Yvette Cooper, is a current Labour MP and member of the Labour shadow cabinet).
Now Sky News have announced that they will offer a lively, challenging and influential look at our politics today. Called ” Electoral Dysfunction’ which launches on 1 March, with episodes available every Friday on all podcast platforms. It can apparently be followed as a podcast series on Sky News, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or apparently on “your favourite platform” with Tory Peer Ruth Davidson, Labour MP Jess Phillips together with SKY political Editor Beth Rigby as those who will deliver/present it (how cosy and how very partisan for Pro UK political parties ONLY)….
Any chance that someone can set the alarm for Ofcom as they appear to be sleeping on the job in respect to part of their section 5 rule on the broadcasting code that refers to “Due impartiality”….I mean does the infiltration of those linked to and supportive of pro UK political parties reflect “Due impartiality” or a conflict of interest…..Hmm….I think I know…..Ofcom should as well…..but they choose to turn a blind eye seemingly…for reasons that appear obvious…..Not forgetting also the BBC here who have always been reticent in applying “Due impartiality” in their political reporting and their broadcasting of political Debate programmes (loaded with pro UK audience members (and Plants who always get to bloom via being selected to speak) and too a majority of pro UK panellists also)……oh and how many newspapers in the UK are against both the SNP and Independence for Scotland while supportive of Pro UK parties and the (NON) Union….that would be also THE majority of them ****(indeed it’s only the sister papers of a Pro UK paper via publishing both a Daily paper and a Sunday edition that allegedly supports Scottish independence)…….
So we should not despair….and we may all be astounded that some polls are not showing support for independence as being in far excess of the figure(s) quoted in these various ‘opinion’ polls…though some people doubt these polls as being accurate and a true reflection on actual public opinion on Scottish independence within Scotland ……but do not despair because even the figures quoted at over 50% are amazing when one takes into consideration the above listed Pro UK monopoly within the UK’s media that constantly promotes the (non) Union and those political parties who support it….while simultaneously attacking those on the side of independence both political parties and Scots and new Scots who support independence too….and like their polls their media is heavily weighed with pro UK politicians and too those supportive of Pro UK political parties and ultimately the maintaining of the UK state itself…..as I said tis a Pro UK media stitch up…..and the SNP’s voice does not stand a chance in being heard OR promoted against the mighty force that is very ‘British’ stitch up.
Oops sorry for length of this response but this is where I DO despair when the SNP are blamed for their supposed lack of response via Pro UK generated attacks….as who, within the pro UK media, will promote their, SNP, arguments, successes in Scotland and indeed independence as a justified, realistic and alternate BETTER option for Scotland’s future……that would be NONE of those I noted above within the very very very much dominant Pro UK media….
NMRN
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#Obfuscate for the union
The BBC charter
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The Anglo media has also been very quiet about the impact of the new UK trade deals that will be taking effect,undermining UK farmers.
Managed decline.
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Brexit is losing £100Billion a year. New rules coming in to harm and delay goods. Especially perishable goods. A right mess of regulations and red tape.
Scotland did not vote for Brexit. EU membership cost Scotland nothing and brought benefits. CAP payments, nearest biggest market. Shared Defence costs. The Tories total mess.
NI gets concessions and advantages Scotland does not get. Westminster holding Scotland back.
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I keep hearing the media currently making references to Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour party’s problem with antisemitism i.e. it still being within their party…sorry when was Corbyn the leader of the Labour party again….that would be 2019…and we are NOW in 2024 and Jeremy Corbyn was suspended from the Labour party in 2020....
So we cannot blame Jeremy Corbyn in respect to the recent Labour candidates now suspended from the party for anti-Semitic remarks can we ….as it was not him who selected them to stand for New New Labour in the next GE….was it ?…Starmer has been Labour leader since April 2020.……so clearly he, as their new leader, has not addressed that which was formerly attributed to ONLY being Jeremy Corbyn’s fault…..has he ?
Also is it not amazing how much outrage there is for this Rochdale incident and too other similar incidents via other Labour candidates…..but the thousands of Palestinians that have been killed seem to be somehow not generating either the same or greater outrage , by both SOME of the media and too certain political parties who cannot bring themselves to DEMAND a ceasefire but instead their party ‘leaders’ need to add a prefix of either ‘Sustainable’ (Starmer & Sunak) or “Bilateral” (ED Davey) before the word ceasefire…..
Looks like the honeymoon period is over for Keir Starmer ……..and Ian Murray declared last year that the SNP were in disarray….well Hello Ian… it seems Labour are a party who are really in disarray……Enjoy (it is of your own party’s making) !
NMRN
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Indeed, if only…
Kevin Keane’s article “Scottish farmers win battle over food subsidies” https://archive.ph/IK96z goes out of it’s way to portray SG in conflict with the farming industry, rather than being fellow victims of Tory ideology threatening the industry.
Kevin leans heavily on the ‘environmental’ aspects driving change from London, but it is in reality window dressing to abandoning support for the farming industry – He also labours %area only suitable for livestock in Scotland, rather than against population – Against that benchmark, Scotland’s arable output is colossal.
Farming is struggling in the UK because it cannot plan ahead with any security – The Tories see that as right and proper, where risk should lie without government interference, and an eye on revenue no longer diverted from HM Treasury coffers – What they fail to grasp is that subsidies can regulate what IS produced – What happens to be profitable in any given year will only produce a glut and dearth of various product – Will England’s huge crisps industry have to rely on imports ?
Contrary to Kevin’s final comment ‘But they say a “cliff edge” change would be a disaster’, there are multiple disasters looming…..
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