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European Commissioner's visit
06/04/2009
Visits to Kinross, the Cairngorms, Moray and Inverurie by the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development have been hailed a success.
Mariann Fischer Boel, who is responsible for making important decisions affecting rural Scotland, spent two days (April 2 to 3) touring businesses and communities last week and said the visits proved invaluable and enjoyable.
During her time in Scotland she visited :
- Loch Leven's Larder in Milnathort
- Boat of Garten Community Hall, where she met members of the local community group
- Balliefurth Farm, Grantown-on-Spey
- Achdregnie Farm, Glenlivet
- Thainstone Auction Mart, Inverurie
She also stayed at the Craigellachie Hotel, where she enjoyed some of Scotland's quality produce at a special 'Taste of Scotland' dinner.
Ms Fischer Boel said:
"I would like to thank everyone who was involved in my visit to Scotland, in particular the farmers and businessmen who took time out of their busy schedule to welcome me and talk to me about their concerns.
"The visit has given me an excellent chance to see at first hand the challenges of farming in less favoured areas and what I have seen in Scotland has given me a real insight into the issues we face.
"I was also very impressed by the entrepreneurship I saw in Scotland and how creatively people have diversified their farm businesses. This is just the sort of thing we need to see more of in our rural areas.
"Finally, the hospitality I enjoyed was second to none. The food was excellent, and I also got my promised taste of some very fine whisky."
Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead, who invited the Commissioner to Scotland and hosted her tour, said:
"I'm delighted the Commissioner took the time out to come to Scotland and hear first hand from our farmers, our crofters and our agricultural businesses.
"We gave her an insight into the many successes we have as well as the challenges. I hope the Commissioner takes back to Brussels the fact that we are a nation who takes the future of agriculture very, very seriously indeed, and we have big plans for the industry's future.
"We want to work with the Common Agricultural Policy but make sure that we are not only able to achieve even more from our fantastic assets but also address some of the challenges, in particular those facing our livestock sectors in the more remote areas of Scotland.