SAOS, which was established in 1905 as the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society to further co-operation in Scottish agriculture, has outlined five practical steps it believes government could undertake to alleviate some of the biggest concerns while promoting food security, economic resilience and protection of the environment.
It would like to see government: set a national ambition for co-operative growth with a delivery strategy behind it; make co-operation a preferred delivery route with agricultural policy; open new markets for producers who choose to work together; fix funding and regulatory exclusions that rule out collaborative projects rather than support them; commit to shared investment in infrastructure, technology, and data.
SAOS, which represents farming co-ops in every corner of Scotland, noted that the Scottish Government has recognised co-operation in the Agricultural and Rural Communities Act. But it said there remains no clear plan to drive forward the next generation of co-operatives.
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At the same time, SAOS, whose members are involved in the dairy, livestock, grain, environmental and machinery sectors, said the UK Government has committed to doubling the size of the co-operative economy. A £10 million package of support to support the sector has just been announced.
Tom Bailey, chief executive of SAOS, said: “The challenges farmers and food producers face in the coming decade are as significant as anything over the last century. We are talking about the potential collapse of some global food systems, amidst a whirlwind of geopolitical conflict, rapid climate change and extreme weather.
“At the same time, we are living in an era where wealth is being increasingly transferred away from communities and into the hands of the billionaire few. Co-operatives are the mechanism to reverse this trend, to anchor wealth not in the hands of shareholders and oligarchs, but in communities where it belongs.
“Our manifesto sets out what government needs to do and do now to catalyse the growth and impact of the co-operative model. It is essential reading for every MSP, minister and official with a stake in food security because the asks are grounded in what our members already do.
“There’s no shortage of warm words about co-operation from governments, regulators and industry bodies alike. It is easy to nod along and talk about working together, but the words mean nothing if they don’t, for example, unlock funding or fix criteria that the very co-operation we should be supporting.”
The manifesto was formally launched at a reception in the Scottish Parliament, sponsored by Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs.
He said: “Food security has moved significantly up the political agenda as Scotland’s food and farming sector faces growing volatility from climate change, geopolitical instability and disruption to supply chains. Many of these challenges cannot be tackled by individual businesses acting alone.
“Collective challenges need collective solutions and co-operation can help create the scale, resilience and investment needed to respond. This manifesto is an important contribution to the debate about how we support Scotland’s existing co-operatives and accelerate greater co-operation across our food, farming and rural economy.”
Grant Rogerson, chief executive of ANM Group, a long-established livestock auction co-operative, said: “There is a strong culture of co-operation across Scotland, built around a shared commitment to rural prosperity. But government needs to share the responsibility to ensure support is targeted where it delivers the greatest impact.
“This is not about asking for more money. It is about using existing resources more effectively. Too often, policy decisions fail to reflect the realities of food production and the long-term sustainability of rural businesses and communities.”
