Chamber
Plenary, 28 Feb 2007
28 Feb 2007 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Organic Farming
There has been a fair degree of change in the period of just more than four years since we last had a debate on organic farming—most of it has been for the better.
Having heard Andrew Arbuckle's less than enthusiastic support for organic farming, I understand why Iain Smith suggested, during a previous debate, that this debate should be truncated. He obviously wanted to avoid Liberal embarrassment, given that a Liberal minister is responsible for farming.
At the end of the debate, there is likely to be substantial consensus. We may come to similar conclusions for a variety of different reasons, but I suspect that we will all feel that the niche product that is organic farming—a niche product it is likely to remain more or less indefinitely—has an important contribution to make to farmers' profitability, to the good health of people in Scotland and, perhaps, if it is used in an appropriate way, to enable our children to understand better where their food comes from and make appropriate choices. Organic farming touches on many things beyond the farm gate.
The Executive's "Third Organic Annual Report", which I saw for the first time today, is interesting in its way. For example, it confirms that there are substantial problems in the pork industry. Under figure 6, it is noted that we cannot measure the amount of organic pork that is produced in Scotland. Because of the diktats of the processing industry and supermarkets, Scotland-produced pork goes elsewhere and we find it difficult to count it when it is returned for sale in Scotland.
The problem illustrates the fact that we must give further consideration not just to primary producers but to the chain from primary producers to the plate, which includes added-value processors who are able to deliver ready meals to appropriate organic standards. Ready meals are an increasingly important component of many people's diet—I plead guilty to buying them when I am in Edinburgh on parliamentary duty, when I cannot spend much time cooking, much as I would like to cook.
The report notes on page 8:
"The total of in conversion and fully organic land in Scotland has decreased by over 100,000 hectares".
However, the decrease has come about primarily because hill farmers have chosen not to remain registered as organic farmers, because of increased costs, which rather blurs our understanding of what is going on. It would be useful if the minister could enlighten our darkness on the matter.
Andrew Arbuckle talked about nitrates, which is an important subject throughout the farming sector. Were we to have a less blunt-instrument approach to our nitrate-vulnerable zones, we could farm in a more sustainable way in relation to nitrates. Instead of being driven by an arbitrary calendar that is probably appropriate in only one or two places in Scotland, seasons for spreading nitrates, which are largely a by-product of the milk industry, could be locally determined.
Having heard Andrew Arbuckle's less than enthusiastic support for organic farming, I understand why Iain Smith suggested, during a previous debate, that this debate should be truncated. He obviously wanted to avoid Liberal embarrassment, given that a Liberal minister is responsible for farming.
At the end of the debate, there is likely to be substantial consensus. We may come to similar conclusions for a variety of different reasons, but I suspect that we will all feel that the niche product that is organic farming—a niche product it is likely to remain more or less indefinitely—has an important contribution to make to farmers' profitability, to the good health of people in Scotland and, perhaps, if it is used in an appropriate way, to enable our children to understand better where their food comes from and make appropriate choices. Organic farming touches on many things beyond the farm gate.
The Executive's "Third Organic Annual Report", which I saw for the first time today, is interesting in its way. For example, it confirms that there are substantial problems in the pork industry. Under figure 6, it is noted that we cannot measure the amount of organic pork that is produced in Scotland. Because of the diktats of the processing industry and supermarkets, Scotland-produced pork goes elsewhere and we find it difficult to count it when it is returned for sale in Scotland.
The problem illustrates the fact that we must give further consideration not just to primary producers but to the chain from primary producers to the plate, which includes added-value processors who are able to deliver ready meals to appropriate organic standards. Ready meals are an increasingly important component of many people's diet—I plead guilty to buying them when I am in Edinburgh on parliamentary duty, when I cannot spend much time cooking, much as I would like to cook.
The report notes on page 8:
"The total of in conversion and fully organic land in Scotland has decreased by over 100,000 hectares".
However, the decrease has come about primarily because hill farmers have chosen not to remain registered as organic farmers, because of increased costs, which rather blurs our understanding of what is going on. It would be useful if the minister could enlighten our darkness on the matter.
Andrew Arbuckle talked about nitrates, which is an important subject throughout the farming sector. Were we to have a less blunt-instrument approach to our nitrate-vulnerable zones, we could farm in a more sustainable way in relation to nitrates. Instead of being driven by an arbitrary calendar that is probably appropriate in only one or two places in Scotland, seasons for spreading nitrates, which are largely a by-product of the milk industry, could be locally determined.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh):
Con
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-5655, in the name of Sarah Boyack, on the future of Scotland's organic farming.
The Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development (Sarah Boyack):
Lab
I was keen to secure a parliamentary debate on progress on the organic action plan. The Parliament was keen to support that plan in the first session, and I ...
Christine May (Central Fife) (Lab):
Lab
Will the minister also pay tribute to the many farmers in Scotland who, while they are not certified as organic, nonetheless use responsible farming methods ...
Sarah Boyack:
Lab
Obviously, I pay tribute to them. Environmentally friendly conventional farming can make a strong contribution to our country's biodiversity and landscapes. ...
Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green):
Green
Will the minister give way?
Sarah Boyack:
Lab
I will finish my point first.Of course, if we look behind those figures we can see that most sectors meet more than 70 per cent of demand, particularly the b...
Richard Lochhead (Moray) (SNP):
SNP
The Scottish National Party very much welcomes today's debate. It has been a long time since we debated agriculture in the chamber. It was debated many times...
Mr Andrew Arbuckle (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD):
LD
Is the member aware that the fact that applicants are not admitted to the organic aid scheme does not prevent them from going organic on their own?
Richard Lochhead:
SNP
I appreciate that, but I wanted to highlight the statistic, because it highlights the wider issue that faces farmers who are seeking financial support.The si...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
You should be winding up now, Mr Lochhead.
Richard Lochhead:
SNP
It is clear that we have to send out better signals to the organic sector in Scotland. The sector needs to know that it can compete for public procurement co...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
Thank you.
Richard Lochhead:
SNP
I commend the SNP amendment to the chamber. I move amendment S2M-5655.2, to insert at end:"but believes that, as many of the targets in the current Organic A...
Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con):
Con
I welcome the publication of the "Third Organic Annual Report", which is a document about which I take rather a more positive view than the previous speaker ...
Mr Ruskell:
Green
The table on page 54 of the Soil Association's "Market research study into the market penetration of Scottish organic produce" shows that only 50 per cent of...
Alex Johnstone:
Con
We are making radical progress. The danger in failing to match supply and demand is a collapse in prices. We have avoided that so far. In fact, the Executive...
Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green):
Green
Our amendment echoes the terms of Sarah Boyack's motion on organic food fortnight, which was debated last September and which called on the Scottish Executiv...
Mr Arbuckle:
LD
By how much would the Greens increase the organic support budget?
Eleanor Scott:
Green
We think that about £23 million would meet the true demand. As for Mr Arbuckle's intervention on an earlier speaker, saying that people can farm organically ...
Mr Andrew Arbuckle (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD):
LD
I point out to Ms Scott that a fair proportion of the agriculture sector operates on an unsupported basis—the producers of pigs, poultry, potatoes and soft f...
Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP):
SNP
Does the conventional farming that the member talks about use a lot of nitrate fertilisers? Is that a traditional form of Scottish farming? Can the use of su...
Mr Arbuckle:
LD
Conventional farmers do not use a lot of nitrate fertilisers, although they use them. Organic farmers use copper sulphate solution, which is pretty noxious, ...
Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome the "Third Organic Annual Report". It seems a long time since I last spoke on the subject, when I supported the aims of Robin Harper's Organic Farm...
Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP):
SNP
There has been a fair degree of change in the period of just more than four years since we last had a debate on organic farming—most of it has been for the b...
Mr Arbuckle:
LD
Will the member give way?
Stewart Stevenson:
SNP
I am sorry, I am in the last minute of my speech.I have difficulty with the claim that we are on target. According to the minutes of the 23rd meeting of the ...
Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab):
Lab
Like other members, I welcome the progress that has been made in moving organic produce up the agenda in Scotland and in taking the issue more seriously than...
Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
Is that why you are sitting behind him?
Karen Gillon:
Lab
Jamie McGrigor can see that I am far enough away not to be part of his group.Like many members, I recognise the quality of what is produced throughout the fa...
Mr Mark Ruskell (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green):
Green
I was a bit concerned, at the beginning of the debate, that it would be about motherhood and organic apple pie, albeit laced with finest Benromach malt whisk...