On reading last week’s issue of The SF, I find myself asking the question: 'What has happened to Scottish agriculture?'

We are being left behind by a Scottish Government that cannot make any decisions. Perhaps this is partly due to the fact that, in the past, rules and regulations for previous reform packages were designed in principle by Brussels and when things weren’t right, it was easy to blame Brussels.

Now with a clean sheet, our Ag Bill seems to float along in limbo, with no steer or commitment for the future. Meanwhile, suckler cow numbers continue to decline in Scotland and no one seems to care.

You would think that with the worldwide reputation of Scotch Beef, we should have a thriving, increasing in size, suckler herd producing our finest beef for the market place. Surely the government should recognise this and actually be providing more direct support for the beef sector to meet the market that already has the high quality reputation?

Instead, this sector is blamed by those on high for greenhouse gas emissions and the government seem quite happy to see numbers reducing year-on-year, which will save them a whole lot of grief in trying to find another sector to meet climate change reduction targets.

On much the same point in the column next to it, I read that Northern Ireland had established a group to look at paying a headage payment of possibly £10.50 per ewe.

Where are we in Scotland, there's nothing to protect our sheep breeding flock. Instead, our government are quite happy to sit back and continue to let tree planting take over our productive hills and uplands.

In the same paper, it was reported that Scotland was being left behind in the gene editing race to provide more resilient crops less threatened by drought and pests, by a government that does not want to participate.

Then on Page 5, environmental lobbyists are pictured with our Cabinet Secretary handing over a petition in an attempt to try to secure three-quarters of public spending in agriculture that support methods that restore nature and tackle climate change, with the barely a thought to the implications this would have on production levels.

The government still don’t give farmers the credit that we deserve for the Co2 reductions that have already been made in recent years, whilst maintaining the countryside over many generations to make Scotland one of the most scenic places in the world to visit for tourists.

We can all do something to help meet climate change targets, just give us a list to choose from and every farmer will have at least one option that they can utilise to suit their own farm business. Simple.

Also on the same page, we read that Lord Hannan and the UK government's Minister for International Trade, Lord Johnson, both stated during a House of Lords debate that NZ lamb was better for the environment than home-produced lamb. This is absolutely unbelievable, it’s little wonder our sheep industry was sold down the river during trade deals with NZ and Australia.

I have to question the lack of drive coming from our lobby organisations and what would appear to be an inability to convince government officials and ministers of the importance of protecting farmers, our methods of production and home-produced food. I don’t see a photo them coming together and demanding action on these fronts.

There seems to be an attitude of, given time, it will all be right on the night. Frankly, given time at this rate, we will have little left for the future.

*George Milne is a sheep farmer from near St Andrews and has served on many industry panels and boards, respected especially for his knowledge of the sheep industry.