Could farms cash crisis really see cattle and sheep disappear from Scotland's fields?
CATTLE and sheep could soon disappear from Scotland's fields as profits for farmers drop to a record low, a leading member of the sector has warned.
Official figures highlight the decline of the country's once-vibrant farming sector - showing the average livestock farm last year made just £2,600.
Shockingly, two-thirds of livestock farms actually lost money.
Now farming leaders have issued a dire warning that falling profits are threatening entire rural communities.
They also called for urgent action, from individual shoppers as well as from supermarkets, to ensure farmers can afford to keep producing the high-quality beef and lamb for which Scotland is internationally renowned.
The head of farmers' union NFU Scotland explained the sector is caught in a 'vicious cycle' - where financial pressures mean fewer and fewer famers are able to continue in business.
And as numbers of cattle and sheep decline, supplies of Scotch meat are reduced, meaning shops and supermarkets become increasingly reliant on imported products - making it even harder for Scottish farmers to turn a profit.
NFUS President Andrew Connon said: 'Figures for falling farm income are a serious concern and highlight the deepening financial pressures facing Scotland's food producers.
'Livestock farmers are caught in a vicious circle and the situation is unsustainable. Agriculture is the backbone of the rural economy. It doesn't just support the farmers themselves, it also supports a whole network of other businesses, such as feed manufacturers, vets, shed-makers, engineers, mechanics, not to mention the abattoirs, hauliers, auction marts and all the other parts of the food industry.
'Scotland needs a vibrant farming sector, where farmers can actually make a living, otherwise farms will contract, merge or cease trading altogether. You can already see it in the fields and on the hills: there are fewer animals - and fewer people.'
Newly published figures from the Scottish Government lay bare the stark economic realities of livestock farming.
A report into Scottish farm business income shows profits on an average lowland cattle and sheep farm fell sharply in 2023/24 to just £2,600. By comparison the average in 2012/13 was £35,000.
Even with government subsidies, the proportion of cattle and sheep farms making a profit dropped to a low of just 33 per cent.
Meanwhile only 45 per cent reported being able to afford to pay staff the minimum agricultural wage, which in 2023 was £10.19 an hour.
The new figures follow publication at the end of last year of an official agricultural census which showed number of cows and sheep in Scotland had fallen to a record low.
In the heyday of Scottish cattle farming in 1974, the country boasted a herd of 2.7million cattle.
After years of decline, the number fell last year to a low of just 1.7m cows. The total number of sheep dropped to a new low of 6.5m - down from 6.7m in 2012.
The census also showed a sharp decline is the overall number of farmers - with 'Working Occupiers' on Scotland's farms falling to a record low, from 40,957 in 2012 to just 34,907.
An investigation by NFUS into supermarket sourcing revealed last month that just 17 per cent of own-label products in major retailers are sourced from Scotland, despite strong demand from consumers.
Meanwhile, imports from overseas rose by 6 per cent over the past year.
Last night the NFUS called on shops - and shoppers - to safeguard the future of farming.
Mr Connon said: 'Our members are proud to produce food to some of the highest standards in the world.
People need to show that those standards matter - by choosing Scottish products in their shopping baskets.'
He also called for public bodies to demand Scottish produce, saying: 'From public procurement in schools and hospitals to hospitality and tourism, we need a whole-chain commitment to sourcing more from Scotland.'
The union has now written to the country's eight major supermarket chains, calling for them to introduce a 'Scottish First' sourcing policy, to increase the promotion of Scottish food, and also to ensure that producers receive a fair price.
Mr Connon said: 'The wider supply chain must play its part by delivering a fairer return to Scotland's primary producers, many of whom face crippling cost pressures and reduced margins.'
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