Lewis man takes up top crofting post

“As the only organisation dedicated to campaigning for crofters and fighting for the future of crofting,” said SCF’s chair Donald MacKinnon.”

Leaving Europe, the single market and the customs union, will bring many challenges with regards to trading livestock and meat, and croft production generally.

He went on: “A new agricultural support system is being developed, and crofting must be represented, especially for support to the more challenged and fragile areas. It is absolutely imperative that crofters join together under one banner to protect our rights.”

“We have had some significant wins in the past year, not least our campaign that got the convergence funding more fairly distributed, but we still have the second tranche to fight for. The benefit to crofters of this increased share of the rebate alone will pay for their SCF subscription many times over.”

Donald MacKinnon crofts on the West Side of Lewis, where he keeps Blackface and Cheviot sheep. He has led the SCF young crofters for many years and has been vice-chair of the organisation for the past two years, before being elected chair.

He went on to say: “The climate emergency is going to dominate all we do and crofters have an important part to play, having a very sound record in good management of our environment. A significant proportion of high nature value areas in Scotland are under crofting tenure, for example the machair, known for its incredible biodiversity, and peatlands, which are the best ecosystem for sequestering carbon. Crofting is starting from a good position, but we can always do more to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

“Many issues are discussed in ‘stakeholder’ meetings and are open to competition from other sector representatives,” Mr MacKinnon concluded. “It is essential that crofting is represented by the organisation set up by crofters, run by crofters, for crofters.”