SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT ministers are to visit Orkney to experience first-hand the damage being done to crops and farmland by resident greylag geese.

During Portfolio Questions in the Scottish parliament, Orkney's Liam McArthur MSP urged cabinet secretary for the environment, Roseanna Cunningham, for a commitment that funding for measures being trialled to control the resident goose population would continue.

Ms Cunningham, who will visit Orkney this summer, confirmed that funding will remain in place to support efforts to tackle the geese problem until Spring 2021.

Minister for Rural Affairs, Mairi Gougeon, is already planning a separate visit to Orkney in April and has confirmed she is also happy to engage in discussions around the resident geese population.

Mr McArthur commented: “The growing number of resident greylag geese continues to pose a challenge for famers and crofters in Orkney. The impact on crops and farmland has been serious and extensive, leading to real frustration and anger within the local farming community.

“Scottish Natural Heritage and the local management group recognise the problem and have been working hard to identify solutions to bring overall numbers down to sustainable levels,” he continued. “This has resulted in some encouraging progress during the trials to date, but further progress is dependent upon ongoing funding being available."