Sir - When I was young, getting up bright and early to go to work on the farm, I could only look after the health of the cows I milked.

Now, in the privileged position I find myself in as leader of the Scottish Conservatives, I’ve got an opportunity to stand up for Scottish food standards on a much bigger platform.

I want to reassure every reader of the Scottish Farmer that I will do exactly that, every single time.

I’ll never vote to allow hormone-injected beef or chlorinated chicken into the UK. It would need legislation to bring those foodstuffs into the UK and I can promise you, if it ever came to it, I’ll be out there on the frontline with farmers saying no, never.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be continuing my constructive engagement with the NFUS and farmers across the country to make sure they know that I will work with them to keep our existing protections in place. I've always welcomed discussions with the NFUS, even when we don’t agree entirely, and I would encourage any farmer who has concerns to get in touch and share them with me directly.

While continuing the dialogue about protecting our world leading standards, I also want us to be in the right position so we can grasp the opportunities emerging across the globe to showcase and sell the outstanding produce Scottish farmers are rightly proud of.

From studying at Auchincruive, to working in dairy farming before my election - I am passionate about agriculture and the opportunities that exist going forward.

So I won't let you down because, unlike most politicians, this is personal to me.

I’m not joining your side. I’ve always been on it.

Douglas Ross

Leader of the Scottish Conservatives