Fish farmers concerns over prospect of coalition with Scottish Greens
- Published
Scottish salmon farmers have raised concerns about Green MSP influence on their industry if a co-operation deal is struck with the SNP government.
The prospect of any deal is alarming others in the food industry, who see the Scottish Greens as hostile to business growth and livestock farming.
On aquaculture, set out plans to toughen conditions on licences to farm in coastal waters.
It went on to say that caged farming should be phased out.
Until then, the Greens want to block growth of the sector until environmental and animal welfare concerns are addressed.
The Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation says talk of a possible SNP-Green coalition government, or co-operation deal, is concerning its members.
A spokesman said the manifesto plans have the potential to prejudice the sector's future and thousands of jobs.
The National Farmers Union Scotland issued a statement after news broke of the SNP-Green co-operation talks which hinted strongly at tensions between farmers' priorities and those of Green politics.
The Greens' manifesto says the party will "support consumer trends towards reduction in meat and dairy consumption in line with national health guidelines by ensuring greater choice in schools and other public canteens".
It wants to use the replacement of European Union farm subsidies as a means to ensure future payments are made on condition that farmers deliver emission reductions, and public benefits ranging from organic farmland conversion to rewilding.
Other policies for land use include tough constraints on blood sports, including driven grouse shoots.
The NFUS is disappointed that SNP plans for the next 100 days do not appear to include moves towards a single board to work on future subsidies.
There is concern that process could be blown off-course by a deal with the Greens, but the farming union's statement emphasised what it wants to get out of the next few months at Holyrood.
No sudden change
NFUS president Martin Kennedy said: "There are many crucial and sensitive areas that need to be addressed in the weeks and months ahead, but we are seeking positive engagement on business and land use that recognises the importance of food production, promotes a positive response to climate change, seeks to improve biodiversity and builds a thriving rural economy."
"Future policy arrangements that promote activity and support farmers to produce more of Scotland's own food needs sustainably will be key."
A spokesman for Scottish Green MSPs responded that it was too early to say which issues would arise in talks with the SNP.
He said that environmental harm and fish welfare was a higher priority than phasing out caged fish farms altogether.
He explained that the party's intention was to support industries in finding alternatives to harmful and polluting activities, and not to force sudden change.