Latest news with #AndrewConnon
Daily Mail
18-05-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
'It's like trying to plant in concrete'...farmers fear driest spring in 100 years spells disaster
Farmers have warned of an 'existential' threat to Scottish agriculture as the country continues to bask in the driest Spring in over 100 years. The unbroken sunshine that has delighted the public for weeks is fast becoming a 'disaster' for farmers who are struggling to grow crops in 'bone dry' earth. Industry leaders warn that scorching conditions are creating serious, long-term challenges that could hit crucial Scottish industries ranging from whisky to forestry and dairy. Andrew Connon, President of NFU Scotland, said: 'Scotland is facing one of its driest springs in recent memory and farmers are bracing for a tough summer ahead. 'Normally we'd expect this kind of weather in July, but we're seeing drought-like conditions hit in April and May. 'After a winter with barely any snow, soils are bone dry and unless we get proper, sustained rain soon, the consequences for food production could be severe.' The alarm comes after Scotland recorded the driest start to the year since 1964. From January to April the country only received 59 per cent of its long-term average rainfall, creating water scarcity across all of Scotland according to environment agency Sepa. Dan Stroud, Operational Meteorologist at the Met Office, explained: 'So far, Spring has been abnormally dry and very sunny. Rainfall throughout May so far has measured just 3.3ml, which is 5 per cent of the Scottish average of 19ml that we would expect for this month.' Farmers said crops like potatoes and vegetables are struggling to push their foliage through baked and hardened soil, while wheat sown in the Autumn is producing small, shrivelled grains. Tim Eagle, Scottish Conservative Party spokesman on Rural Affairs, said: 'This time of year is crucial for our crops but right now the soil is so dry, it is like trying to plant in concrete. If this carries on much longer, the effects on agriculture will be devastating.' Campaigners add that not only are arable harvests under threat, but dry conditions now will also create food shortages for livestock and game later in the year. Farmer and activist Jamie Blackett said: 'A lack of rain now means the risk of going short later on for those of us with livestock. 'We may have to buy in expensive feed over the winter or even sell cows to reduce the mouths to feed.' He continued: 'In the uplands a lack of moisture can mean a lack of insects to feed grouse chicks and mean that there isn't a harvestable surplus of grouse to shoot come the 12th of August. 'That spells disaster for moorland communities dependent on the income from shooting.' Industry leaders stress that the looming crisis posed by the heatwave has been worsened by the government's failure to invest in and maintain future-proof water storage systems. The NFU's Andrew Connon added: 'We've been calling on the Scottish Government to support farmers with capital funding for water storage and efficiency – things like boreholes, lagoons and irrigation technology […] we now need action to back that up.' A SEPA spokesperson said: 'Active consultation is ongoing with organisations across Scotland, including NFU Scotland, Fisheries Management Scotland, Golf Scotland, Scotch Whisky Association and Scottish Water to help share important information and ensure that advice and support is available.' The Met Office said the heatwave is likely to continue until Friday, with temperatures rising to as high as 22C during the week.
Daily Mail
03-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
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.'
STV News
22-04-2025
- Business
- STV News
Should Scots pay more for locally sourced produce at supermarkets?
Do we care how much of the food we buy comes from Scotland? According to the National Farmers Union for Scotland we do. Their figures suggest more than 70% of people would prefer to buy Scottish produce and would pay more to do so. But they say that demand isn't being met by supermarkets. Over the past year the union has been monitoring how many products are labelled as Scottish, and British at 8 major retailers as part of it's Shelf Watch campaign in a bid to increase local food in our retailers and get a better deal for local producers. Andrew Connon, the union's president, said: 'We were disappointed initially that only 17% of all brands looked at had Scottish branding on it 'But there's a big difference between retailers, in how much they stock, Aldi was the clear front runner followed by Lidl's but others did show an improvement over the year. 'If we could increase this average by another 12% that would equate to £500m more for Scottish producers and the wider farming supply chain.' Shelf Watch has been one of the union's largest surveys to date and looked at more than 15 000 own brand products at more than 290 stores across Scotland. The products most often labelled as from Scottish farms? Eggs, beef and milk. It found produce like pork cheese, butter and yoghurt whilst often British, were the least likely items to be from local suppliers. Farming leaders now want to see an increase in Scottish grown produce also for clearer labelling for consumers. Andrew added: 'We need to see proper source of origin, it's often difficult for consumers to see if something is imported that needs to change.' The Scottish Retail Consortium said supermarkets are one of the biggest advocates of clear product labelling, adding: 'This report clearly demonstrates the depth of support from the retail industry for Scotland's farmers despite the enormous economic and public pressures on the industry. 'Of course, different grocers will take bespoke approaches to the profile of products they source. 'Nonetheless, the strength of the hyper-competitive grocery market is consumers can choose whether to purchase Scottish or products from further afield; and retailers will respond to that commercial onus.' Today's figures also sparked debate on how much farmers get for their products, some argue that the percentage return is simply too low. Mike Davis is an arable farmer in Aberdeenshire and said the price wouldn't have to go up much to help give growers a better deal. He explained: 'I produce milling oats for oatmeal or porridge, the return is 0.6 pence on a 30-gram bowl, and it costs £175 to grow a tonne of oats. 'Basically, it means I make no money, we break even but there's no profit and you can't do that long term. 'If we increased the return, it by even 50% which sounds like a huge margin that's only 0.03 pence, so that would put up the price up by just over a penny. 'Realistically, I don't think that's unachievable for a Scottish produced product, 1p more isn't that much of a difference that's produced to a high standard locally.' The debate on food prices and local food production is due to continue at Westminster in June as part of the Food Supply Chain Fairness Bill. In Scotland, ministers here said: 'We have committed £10 million funding over 2023–2025 to support delivery of Scotland's food and drink strategy, 'Sustaining Scotland, Supplying the World'. 'This funding facilitates a range of activities and direct engagement with grocery retailers to help increase the volume of Scottish food and drink on retail shelves, including own brand products.' Both of these programmes have been welcomed by farmers, who say they'll continue to lobby for a fairer deal. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
STV News
22-04-2025
- Business
- STV News
Supermarket research identifies £500m opportunity for farmers and crofters
New research into Scottish supermarkets has identified a £500m opportunity for farmers and crofters. National Farmers Union Scotland has now challenged the United Kingdom's largest retailers to work with the industry to increase the amount of Scottish produce on shelves. It comes as the union's ShelfWatch initiative showed a mixed picture in respect to sourcing levels. The initiative was aimed at monitoring the availability of Scottish produce on sale at Aldi, Asda, Co-op, Lidl, M&S Food, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Tesco. NFU Scotland conducted research over four phases throughout 2024 and early 2025. Results, released on Tuesday, revealed stark variations in Scottish sourcing, with just 17% of all own-label products from Scotland. Aldi was the clear front runner, leading the rankings in every phase of research with an overall average of 40%. In second place was Lidl with a 30% average and Co-op in 3rd with 22%. Meanwhile, M&S Food had the biggest, albeit modest, improvement across the year in its support for Scottish produce. More generally, support for British produce was strong with an average of 63% of own-label products being sourced within the UK. In response to this analysis, NFU Scotland has identified a potential £500m opportunity for Scottish farmers, crofters and growers if levels of Scottish sourcing was increased by just 12% in the coming years. To achieve this, NFU Scotland has written to all eight retailers setting out this challenge to adopt a 'Scottish First' policy, prioritising Scottish produce across all commodities and reducing reliance on imports. They also call for the development of a programme of promotional campaigns and activity to champion Scottish produce in stores and online, including the creation of a 'Scottish Shop' for online customers and supporting industry initiatives. Added to this is the proposal of new commitments to ensure fairness in the supply chain, a commitment to reforming labelling practices to ensure clearer on-pack country-of-origin labelling and to reforming labelling practices to ensure clearer on-pack country-of-origin labelling. NFU Scotland President Andrew Connon commented: 'ShelfWatch has delivered vital insight. Our clear message to retailers is that by working together, we have a golden opportunity to support Scotland's farmers and crofters as well as giving their customers more of what they want. 'We know that the value of grocery sales across Scotland is significant and we believe Scottish farmers and crofters could get a greater share of this value if retailers work with us and the wider industry to take forward the actions we set today. 'Overall, these results show a disappointing level of Scottish sourcing with around 17% of own-label products labelled as Scottish and no real improvement throughout the year. 'That said, the picture is very mixed across each of the retailers. I'd like to congratulate Aldi in particular, who consistently held the highest levels of Scottish sourcing throughout the year, and also to Lidl for their ongoing commitment. 'Through this work, we have identified the key areas for action and commitment retailers. NFU Scotland, along with other industry partners, stand ready to work in partnership to support this. If we get it right, the results could be transformational for our farmers, crofters and growers. 'Of course, none of this will happen in isolation and we need to see effective government policy that supports a vibrant farming industry and enables our members to have the confidence to invest for the future'. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Press and Journal
22-04-2025
- Business
- Press and Journal
Which north and north-east supermarkets have most Scottish products?
A 12% increase in Scottish sourcing by the UK's biggest supermarkets could deliver a £500 million bonanza for farmers, crofters and growers north of the border, according to NFU Scotland (NFUS). The farmers' union is today publishing the findings of its latest ShelfWatch survey. Just 17% of food on sale in supermarkets across the country was labelled as Scottish. NFUS is now challenging grocers to work with the industry to increase the amount of home-grown or reared produce on their shelves. It is reporting a 'very mixed picture' in respect of sourcing levels across eight major retailers. The survey looked at Scottish produce availability at Aldi, Asda, the Co-op, Lidl, M&S Food, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Tesco in four phases during 2024 and early 2025. Aldi was the clear front runner, leading the rankings in every phase of research with an overall average of 40%. In second place was Lidl, with a 30% average, and the Co-op was third with 22%. Meanwhile, M&S Food had the biggest, albeit modest, improvement across the year in its support for Scottish produce. More generally, support for UK-wide produce was strong with an average of 63% of own-label products being sourced in Britain. Scottish was the main objective of the initiative, but understanding UK produce is important too as some products labelled as British may be from north of the border. NFUS says its ShelfWatch survey team also recorded a 6% increase of imports in 2024. Outlining a £500m opportunity for Scottish farmers, crofters and growers, the union says it has written to all eight retailers setting out this challenge. And it has identified specific areas where it would like to see action: NFUS president Andrew Connon said: 'ShelfWatch has delivered vital insight. 'Our clear message to retailers is that by working together we have a golden opportunity to support Scotland's farmers and crofters, as well as giving their customers more of what they want. 'We know the value of grocery sales across Scotland is significant. 'And we believe Scottish farmers and crofters could get a greater share of this value if retailers work with us and the wider industry to take forward the actions we've set out.' Mr Connon added: 'Overall, these results show a disappointing level of Scottish sourcing, with around 17% of own-label products labelled as Scottish and no real improvement throughout the year. 'That said, the picture is very mixed across each of the retailers.' The four phases of research covered own-brand products at more than 290 stores across seven regions, with in excess of 15,000 products examined during each phase.
