from Sunday Herald, 19 November 2006
Environment minister Ross Finnie has come under fire for failing to promote organic food in the Scottish Executive’s campaign to combat climate change.
The Soil Association, which supports organic farming, has complained that a new government website designed to encourage climate-friendly behaviour makes no mention of organic food or its environmental benefits.
“Organic farming is well-known to deliver many benefits the Executive says it supports – more rural jobs, more wildlife, better air and water quality, and lower greenhouse gas emissions,” said Hugh Raven, director of the Soil Association in Scotland.
“Extraordinarily, these do not seem to interest Mr Finnie – perhaps because he’s well-known to be too close to the National Farmers’ Union (NFU). Perhaps the next environment minister will be more interested.”
Finnie, who narrowly failed to become Scottish Politician of the Year in The Herald Diageo awards last week, has also been criticised for failing to meet with the Soil Association. He has held six meeting with NFU Scotland in the past year.
“If he can meet them that often, you would have thought we might merit at least one conversation,” said Raven, who advises ministers on environmental policy as a member of the Sustainable Development Commission.
“This lack of interest from the minister contrasts starkly with the 30% growth of the organic market last year – and the enthusiasm of many local authorities trying to get organic and local food into their school catering.”
Raven wrote to Finnie last week saying he was “extremely disappointed” the website launched under the banner of “it’s our future” in October made no reference to organic food. “We find this inexplicable,” Raven told the minister.
Raven was backed by Green MSP Mark Ruskell, who has long campaigned for better support for organic food production in Scotland. “We are seeing organic farming increasingly sidelined by civil servants under the direction of Finnie,” said Ruskell.
“The fact there have been so few ministerial meetings with organic farming bodies in the past year suggests they are treating the sector as a type of hobby farming, rather than being at the heart of a vision of sustainable agriculture.”
The criticisms, however, were rebutted by the Executive, which pointed out that Finnie’s deputy, Rhona Brankin, was responsible for the organic sector. She is due to meet the Soil Association for the fourth time this year on November 30, an Executive spokeswoman said.
Ross Finnie had a “strong commitment to the organic sector”, the spokeswoman argued. “NFU Scotland, whom Mr Finnie has met on several occasions, represents organic as well as conventional farmers. It is a matter for consumers to decide whether to purchase organic produce.”
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