Return to Normality

LOOKING back, this summer has been a turbulent time for our agricultural sector, and particularly for our livestock industry. The confirmed cases of foot and mouth disease in Surrey last month came as a severe blow to the sector.

For many of us, the news stirred up unpleasant memories of the devastating 2001 outbreak which culminated in the slaughter of over 6.5 million animals and a cost of £8.5 billion to the economy.

The news naturally elicited much unease amongst farmers here in Banff and Buchan and throughout the country, who were justifiably concerned for their livelihoods.

Farming is of vital economic importance both locally and nationally, and provides major employment here in Banff and Buchan.

Scottish farmers produce output worth almost £2 million a year to the Scottish economy. Furthermore, 67,000 people – around 8% of the rural workforce in Scotland, are directly employed in agriculture, not to mention the thousands of jobs indirectly dependent on the industry.

For the people of Banff and Buchan the outbreak also put something of a dampener on our usual summer agricultural festivities, unfortunately coinciding with the Turriff Show which I gladly attended.
Though the presence of livestock was prohibited at the show, organisers dealt with the disruption in a highly professional manner and an enjoyable day was still to be had.

Thankfully however, after the cull of 570 animals and vigilant practice of bio-security at all levels, these cases appear to have been managed and the disease contained without travelling north to Scotland.

Indeed it has come as a great relief here in Banff and Buchan that restrictions are now being relaxed and normality is gradually being restored to the farming industry. A phased programme is under way to get Scotland's livestock industry back to normal.

With the export ban which was imposed on British meat and dairy products having been lifted by the EU, the industry is gradually returning to normal business.

I would like to take this opportunity to commend farmers and all of those employed in the agricultural sector in Banff and Buchan for their vigilance, and indeed their patience, throughout this uncertain time, which is now fortunately drawing to a close.

Valuable Time in the Constituency
AFTER a hectic initial period in government for us SNP parliamentarians, the summer recess finally afforded us the time to take a break from parliamentary business and concentrate on those people for whom we are there to serve – our constituents.

While throughout the year I divide my time between constituency and parliamentary duties, summer recess gives me the chance for a few weeks to focus solely on my constituency and get out and about to travel the length and breadth of Banff and Buchan.

Indeed, last month, I embarked on my seventh annual surgery tour around the constituency, clocking up over 450 surgeries since I was first elected in 2001. I visited a total of 44 towns and villages on my mobile surgery tour, spanning the constituency from Inverallochy to Forglen and Sandend to Cruden Bay. The tours are an excellent opportunity to visit the more rural parts of Banff and Buchan and see and hear at first hand the experiences and issues of concern to the locals there.

Everybody should be able to voice their interests and concerns to the MSP that represents them, regardless of where they reside, and this tour gives my constituents the opportunity to do just that.