Whiteford and Smith Highlight Success of Local Egg Producer

Banff and Buchan MP Dr Eilidh Whiteford and Scottish MEP Alyn Smith have highlighted the success of local egg producer AJ Duncan in a visit to the company’s egg-producing facility near Turriff.

Alyn Smith MEP,
Milan Copic, General Manager of Egg Production at AJ Duncan,
and Dr Eilidh Whiteford MP

Dr Whiteford, who is the SNP’s Agriculture Spokesperson at Westminster, and Alyn Smith, who is the sole Scottish representation on the European Parliament’s Agriculture Committee, visited the Fortrie-based business last week as part of their summer tour of rural communities.

AJ Duncan were recently honoured with a Scottish Egg Quality Award and the two politicians took the opportunity on their visit to congratulate the company on their success.

Dr Whiteford commented:

“I was interested to hear of the scale of investment that AJ Duncan have made into egg production at this facility and this award is well-earned recognition for the quality of the final product at Fortrie. I congratulate David Green, Milan Copic and all involved at AJ Duncan in driving the success of this local business.”

"It was also important to have the opportunity to discuss the failure of the EU to ensure welfare standards of hens across the EU. Scottish farmers have invested heavily in improving welfare standards and I will continue to press their case at Westminster to ensure that they are not disadvantaged by other Member States who have failed to implement improved conditions for laying hens."

Alyn Smith added:

“I was deeply impressed by the scale and organisation of production at the AJ Duncan farm. Having an award-winning and ambitious company based here is a major boost for the local rural economy and I wish all at AJ Duncan every success in the future as they seek to go from strength-to-strength.”

Whiteford and Smith were treated to a tour of the company’s facility, followed by a meeting with Dave Green, AJ Duncan’s Chief Executive, to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing the company.

Dave Green, Chief Executive of AJ Duncan, commented after the visit:

“It was a delight to welcome Eilidh and Alyn to the farm. Their support and that of the wider community is very important for a company with local roots like AJ Duncan. We also appreciate their willingness to be approached and to assist us wherever possible, and we look forward to welcoming them back to AJ Duncan in the not too distant future.”

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Whiteford and Smith: Only a YES Offers a Real Future for Farming

Rural tour for YES campaign generates local interest
Peterhead, 5 August: Banff and Buchan MP Dr Eilidh Whiteford and Scottish MEP Alyn Smith have been taking the case for a Yes vote next month to the north-east’s farming communities in two local meetings last week.

Councillor Lennie Pirie, Eilidh Whiteford MP, Alyn Smith MEP

At meetings in Strichen on Wednesday and Rosehearty on Thursday, the MP and MEP gave speeches and took questions from undecided voters still to make their minds up before the vote. Both made the point that for Scotland’s agricultural sector to thrive, Scotland needs the full powers of independence within the European Union.

For the next six years, Westminster representation in Europe has delivered a deal which represents a real-terms cut to the funding Scottish farmers receive – including a settlement which leaves Scotland at the absolute bottom of the European league table for Pillar 1 and 2 funding. In addition, the UK Government have so far refused to hand over £230 million worth of convergence funding which was only secured because of Scotland’s history of poor area payments.

With independence, Scotland’s farmers would be guaranteed a seat at the top table, an increase to our representation in the European Parliament, and the ability to name a Scottish European Commissioner.

The meetings come following a poll by Survation on behalf of the Mail on Sunday on August 3, which showed that voters were switching dramatically to Yes in the North East of Scotland – with 48.6% of respondents backing independence, 39.8% for no, and 11.6% undecided.

Dr Whiteford said:

“These meetings were a fantastic opportunity for those in the farming community who haven’t made up their minds to ask questions, and to hear the facts. Alyn and I have vigorously fought the corner of our farmers in Europe and at Westminster. However, it is only by giving the Scottish Government the full power to defend our farming interests that we can secure a better funding deal from Europe.”

“Our farming communities have nothing to gain from a No vote – and everything to gain from a Yes.”

Alyn Smith added:

“The Common Agricultural Policy hasn’t worked as well as it could for Scottish farmers. That’s a reflection of successive poor deals, negotiated on Scotland’s behalf by a Westminster Government which doesn’t prioritise our crucial agricultural sector, and which is ideologically opposed to the idea of subsidising industries – even ones as important as our farming sector.”

“With independence, we could only negotiate a better deal than the one negotiated by Westminster. Any deal which leaves our farmers at the absolute bottom of the table for Pillar 1 and 2 funding is simply not good enough – and while I will continue to represent our farming interests vigorously in the European Parliament, the only way to do this more effectively is to untie the Scottish Government’s hands with a Yes vote.”

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'Farming for YES' Takes to the Road in Turriff and New Deer

Farmers and those involved in the agriculture industry got the opportunity to have their questions on what Independence will mean for the sector at special ‘Question Time’ events held in Turriff and New Deer.

 (l to r): Eilidh Whiteford MP;
meeting chairman and local farmer Cameron Ewen;
Alyn Smith MEP

Euro-MP Alyn Smith, a member of the European Parliament’s Agriculture & Rural Development Committee and local MP Dr Eilidh Whiteford, who is also the SNP’s Agriculture spokesperson at Westminster held the special meetings to explain how Independence will mean a better deal for Scotland’s farmers and answer questions.

Commenting, Eilidh Whiteford said:

“I was delighted with both events and we had a range of questions from those attending on subjects from the CAP, to support for new entrants, to the Aberdeen bypass.

“I was particularly pleased to welcome Alyn Smith back to Buchan. Alyn is widely-acknowledged as Scottish farming’s voice in Europe and has been recognised for his work with the ‘Outstanding Contribution to Scottish Agriculture’ award from a national farming magazine.

“Scotland’s farmers know more than most how the UK’s failures to take the correct policy decisions for Scottish farming, and their failure to prioritise Scottish farming in the European Union, have undermined Scottish agriculture. Independence means the most important decisions about rural Scotland will be taken by the people who care most about Scotland, that is by the people who live here.”

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Scotland's Future on Agenda for Fyvie Farmers

Alex Salmond joined 30 farmers from his constituency last night (Monday 2 December) as a special guest at this month’s Fyvie Farmers’ Discussion Group.

Mr Salmond was invited to speak at the Vale Hotel meeting about his life in politics and the opportunities for Scotland’s farming sector in voting for independence next September. A question and answer session followed, with much interest surrounding the recently published White Paper: Scotland’s Future. The group also had particular questions about the challenges and opportunities facing the farming industry of the North East.

Mr Salmond commented:

“I was delighted to be invited to speak to the Fyvie Farmers last night at the Vale Hotel.

“The group – who meet regularly for discussions on a range of subjects – made me feel very welcome indeed. There were some great questions on farming issues, such as CAP funding, and the opportunities for Scottish farming and our country more widely following a vote for independence.”

Monday night’s meeting begins a week of engagement between SNP elected members and North East rural communities. Farmers and those involved or interested in agricultural industries will have the opportunity to put their questions on farming and independence to MEP Alyn Smith and Banff and Buchan MP, Dr Eilidh Whiteford, at events later this week.

The “Question Time” discussions will be held on Friday 6 December in Buckley’s at Deveron Country House Turriff at 7pm and at 10am on Saturday 7 December in the Public Hall, New Deer. Alyn Smith is a member of the European Parliament’s Agriculture and Rural Development Committee and Dr Whiteford is the SNP’s agriculture spokesperson at Westminster.

Commenting in advance of the Q&A events, Eilidh Whiteford said:

“I’m very pleased to welcome Alyn Smith to Buchan. Alyn is widely-acknowledged as Scottish farming’s voice in Europe and has been recognised for his work with the ‘Outstanding Contribution to Scottish Agriculture’ award from a national farming magazine.

“It’s also a very timely event having just recently met with the NFUS both locally and in Westminster on the issue of CAP convergence payments for Scottish farmers which the UK Government has shamefully appropriated and spread around the entire UK instead of passing it on to the Scottish industry, which was the intended purpose of the money.”

Alyn Smith MEP added:

“I’m delighted to be coming to Buchan so soon after the launch of the Independence White Paper to help explain how Scotland having control of its own affairs will benefit Scottish farming and I look forward to meeting with local farmers.”

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