Orkney SNP candidate in the May Scottish Parliament elections, Robert Leslie, has welcomed First Minister John Swinney’s pledge to keep listening to Orkney farmers on their concerns over changes to the Greening scheme that they feel are not working for Orkney.
Mr Leslie was reacting to a letter from the First Minister to Douglas Paterson, one of the farmers that Mr Swinney spoke to when he was in Orkney in February.
Robert Leslie said that, while the letter didn’t offer an immediate solution, it presented an opening that was worth pursuing, especially having heard directly from Douglas Paterson and William Harvey from Quoydandy about their concerns for the future if the scheme doesn’t change.
He said:
“While the Scottish Government has pushed back on Climate Change Committee recommendations for stock reduction, and the Greening scheme is the alternative, the clear warning I heard from Douglas and William when I met them in March is that it will still result in stock reduction by the back door unless it can be changed. We can’t allow the precarious position we are in to reach a tipping point.
“This is certainly something I would be keen to support Orkney farmers with if elected. I would be keen to use the Islands Act if necessary to ensure that we get this right for our islands. It isn’t tenable, in my mind, when farmers warn us that their futures feel under threat, to accuse them of playing the ‘island card’.
“I won’t stand by and watch farmers struggle with schemes that don’t work here at a time we need food resilience and food security more than ever.”
Although there is no immediate pledge to overhaul the scheme, Mr Leslie said he felt the letter presented the opportunity for Orkney farmers to build an evidence base and engage with officials to press for changes.
Mr Swinney met with Mr Paterson, his father and Paul Ross from Sandwick, who is chair of the Scottish Beef Association, on his trip to Orkney on 22nd February and they discussed the challenges that farmers in. Orkney have and the importance of livestock farming to the wider community.
Mr Swinney said that he wanted to reassure the farmers how much he valued their input.
“We recognise the concerns you raised, but in regard to the Enhanced Greening changes for 2026 I want to reassure you that these changes are modest and designed to fit within productive livestock systems.
“As the changes bed in there will, of course, be further opportunities to refine and modify options,” he said.
Mr Swinney said that many of the Ecological Focus Area (EFA) options had been designed to work for Orkney producers and align with existing practices, for example:
- Improved use of legumes and herb species (Herb and Legume Rich Pastures),
- Under sowing of cereal crops with grassland is a common practice in Orkney either combining or taking as forage for winter feed, existing practice (Catch Crop),
- Use of slurry and farmyard manure on grassland with no artificial fertiliser applied (Low input grassland)
Mr Swinney said:
“These are just three of the eleven options that are available, all of which have opportunities to support livestock/food production as well as help us meet our increased ambition for climate and nature. The Scottish Government remains committed to providing direct support to farmers and crofters across Scotland, which stands in stark contrast to policies in other parts of the UK.
He also said that the potential of Future Conditionality on Permanent Grassland, which relates to a report that was commissioned by Orkney Islands Council on Greening Impacts on Orkney, was a piece of work that has been paused for the meantime, with no decision on whether it will be progressed.
And Mr Swinney did present an opening for Orkney farmers to evidence their concerns, saying:
“I want to reassure you that your views and lived experience are important to us. Your feedback will be part of future consideration if we revisit this option and wider impact assessments, including dedicated island impact assessment will be carried out, which is our normal policy development process.
“It was really interesting meeting you and discussing farming in Orkney and I would encourage you to keep engaging with officials to raise any concerns that you have.”
Elections to the Scottish Parliament take place on Thursday 7 May.
Orkney Constituency – 5 candidates:
- John William COUPLAND – Reform UK
- Jamie HALCRO JOHNSTON – Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Robert Fraser LESLIE – Scottish National Party (SNP)
- Mike MACLEOD – Scottish Labour Party
- Liam Scott MCARTHUR – Scottish Liberal Democrats
Highlands and Islands Region – Candidates:
| Name of Party | Description of Party | Candidates on Party List (in order to be elected) |
|---|---|---|
| Advance UK | 1. Matt Sheppard 2. Steve Skerrett | |
| Alliance to Liberate Scotland | Alliance to Liberate Scotland For Independence | 1. Brian Nugent 2. Andrew Ross Macdonald 3. Kenneth Mackenzie 4. Laura Hansler 5. Allan Duffy 6. Flora Badger |
| Independence for Scotland Party | Independence for Scotland Party, Direct Democracy | 1. Fiona Nelson |
| Independent Green Voice | Independent Green Voice – Organic, Local, Democratic | 1. Nicola Siddall |
| Reform UK | 1. Vic Currie 2. Max Bannerman 3. Amanda Hampsey 4.Fred Campbell 5.Malcolm McTaggart 6. Jon Whitton 7. John Coupland | |
| Scottish Christian Party “Proclaiming Christ’s Lordship” | 1. Donald MacLeod Boyd | |
| Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party | 1. Tim Eagle 2. Jamie Halcro Johnston 3. Helen Crawford 4. Ruraidh Stewart 5. George Macpherson 6. Peter Wallace 7. Donald Mackenzie 8. Douglas Barnett | |
| Scottish Family Party | Scottish Family Party – Christian values | 1. Kenny Stone 2. Allan MacEachen 3. Rachel Michelle Gibson 4. Eva Morrice 5. Harriet Amelia Mary Woolmore |
| Scottish Green Party | Vote Scottish Greens – Let’s demand better | 1. Ariane Burgess 2. Kristopher Leask 3. Kate Willis 4. Dræyk Van Der Hørn 5.Alex Armitage 6. Anne Thomas 7. Julie Christie |
| Scottish Labour Party | Scottish Labour – Scotland Needs Change | 1. Isla McCay 2. Donald MacKinnon 3. Eva Kestner 4. John Erskine 5. Mike MacLeod 6. Callum George 7. Shaun Fraser 8. David Blair |
| Scottish Liberal Democrats | 1. Morven-May MacCallum 2. Alan Reid 3. Declan Gallacher 4. Angela Margaret MacLean 5. Robert Denis James Rixson 6. Guy Grieve 7. Fiona Bennett | |
| Scottish Libertarian Party | 1. Nathan Lumb | |
| Scottish National Party (SNP) | 1. Maree Todd 2. Robert Leslie 3. Emma Roddick 4. Hannah Mary Goodlad 5. Eilidh Munro 6. Jérémie Fernandes | |
| Scottish Rural Party | 1. Alasdair Fletcher 2. Ruaridh Ormiston | |
| Scottish Socialist Party | Scottish Socialist Party – Independent Socialist Scotland | 1. Willie Hamilton 2. Brenda Nicholson |
| Workers Party of Britain | Workers Party – Scotland | 1. Syed Hussain |
| Independent | Duncan Macpherson; Mick Rice |
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