Agriculture MEP heads to Highland show - nominated in Scottish Farmer Awards
EFA press release by Scottish National Party in the European Parliament
SNP MEP Alyn Smith will be meeting with stakeholders from across the agriculture sector as well as enjoying the craic when he visits the Highland Show in Ingliston this week. Smith will be there formally on Thursday and Friday to meet with stakeholders, and have a more relaxed day on Saturday.
Mr Smith, who has been Scotland's only full member of the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee during the last Parliamentary session and will remain on that Committee, will also be attending the Scottish Farmer Awards Ceremony on Thursday night where he has been nominated for an award for his work on behalf of Scotland's farmers.
Speaking from Brussels in advance of his visit, Mr Smith said:
"As always I am looking forward to the Highland Show enormously. It is a highlight of the calendar and gives me a good chance to catch up with people, formally and less so too, as I take in the sights.
"We have a lot going on in Brussels which is of huge importance to our farmers in Scotland and I anticipate a good deal of questioning as I wander round. I also want to thank Scotland's farmers and growers for their continued support in the last European election, where the SNP won convincingly and the turnout in rural areas was markedly higher than the towns.
"It is great to have access to everyone in one place for a change, and I will be taking the opportunity to chat to as many farming organisations as I can fit in to get a thorough insight into what the thoughts, problems and concerns are in the industry at the moment.
"Just wandering around the show is an education, and I look forward to an enjoyable, if possibly exhausting, few days in Ingliston."
ENDS
Contact Alyn Smith +44 (0)7788 745 834
Notes to editors:
Highlights of his programme are:
Thursday 25th June
- 1300 National Beef Association
- 1345 Scottish Organic Producers Association
- 1430 Scottish Rural Property and Business Association
- 1530 Vaderstad
- 1630 - 1830 Scottish Farmer Supplier Awards
- 1830 Scottish Association of Young Farmers Clubs Reception
Friday 26th June
- 1000 Scottish Government Launch of Food & Drink Policy
- 1030 Photo call with Adrian Ivory
- 1100 National Sheep Association
- 1200 National Farmers Union Scotland
- 1230 Scottish Beef Cattle Association lunch
- 1415 Quality Meat Scotland
- 1500 Moredun Institute
- 1600 Scottish Association of Meat Wholesalers
- 1700 Moredun Institute
