Did you know?
You are represented by…
- 8 members of the Scottish Parliament – 1 constituency MSP, and 7 regional MSPs
- 1 MP in the House of Commons
- At least 3 local councillors
Over the years NFU Scotland has been proud to enjoy very strong links with parliamentarians, particularly those in the rural constituencies – some of whom have been NFU Scotland members themselves.
Since the 2016 EU referendum, the Union’s engagement with politicians has accelerated exponentially, with your office holders and staff in and out of the Holyrood and Westminster parliaments on a weekly basis pushing your interests directly with parliamentarians and governments.
The strength of NFU Scotland is key to pushing issues along and getting ‘wins’ when it comes to changes in policy. However, the work of NFU Scotland in building these relationships can only ever be as good as the time that our members invest in lobbying their local parliamentarians on the issues that matter to them.
In other words, unless a politician hears directly from their constituents on why an issue is important, they are far less likely to take action to address it.
It’s not just the big political topics such as Brexit that are important to keep your politicians engaged on. Your MSPs and MPs are there to support you on local issues too, or advise on issues which might be concerning you.
Are you worried about some new agendas that are getting attention in the media, such as Veganism? Do you want to highlight the extremely high animal health and welfare standards we are proud to work to in Scotland? Write to your MP and MSP and tell your side of the story.
Perhaps you are doing something new or pioneering on your farm, which your representatives should be aware of? Or is there a regulation which is holding you back from growing your business?
Invite your representatives to your farm to see and hear more about what you do. Most parliamentarians are very keen to learn about the industry and to spend time on-farm – and the best way for them to represent you is if they are speaking from a position of knowledge and experience.