For those of us immersed in farming and rural life it is difficult to appreciate, or even understand, the disconnect between the producer and consumer. Yet this is the reality. And while Covid-19 has left us with a great appreciation of food security and buying local, there is still much to be done to bridge the gap.

Creating a meaningful connection between farmers and consumers has never been more crucial. With a global pandemic on the horizon and the prospect of more and more households struggling to balance the need to heat or eat, it is likely that there will be a swing to cheaper, processed foods. Playing our part in ensuring the next generation is food literate will not only play dividend for the sector, but will also have long-term benefits for the nation’s health.

RHASS’ educational charity, RHET, plays an important role in bringing the rural sector to life through innovative online and on-farm programmes linked to the curriculum. Meanwhile, partner organisations such as QMS help promote primary produce as a health and economical food source through schemes such as Tasty Little Weeks which showcase the versatility of Scottish pork, beef and lamb. Working together as a sector will mean that we will continue to drive home the importance and relevance of the farming to everyday lives.

The Royal Highland Show is without doubt the greatest celebration of food, farming, and rural life, and is a once-a-year opportunity to build strong links with the rural and urban audiences. RHASS’ charitable commitment to ensuring children 15 and under go free means that more families get the opportunity to see for themselves how they rely on our sector not only for the food they eat, but also for our work in looking after the countryside for all to enjoy. With 6000 young children attending the 2022 show, its impact and relevance is undisputed.

However, it is not only maintaining a market for our primary produce that drives our engagement programme. The labour shortages in the food and farming sector are well documented as farmers are unable to hire all the seasonal workers they need to harvest food. According to the The Grocer magazine, UK farms are missing up to 75% of their seasonal workers which is leading to massive food wastage as crops are left to rot in the fields.

Attracting UK workers to the sector is important and RHET is focusing on promoting the variety of careers on offer in the sector and debunking myths that farming is just for tractor drivers! From animal welfare to sustainability and the natural economy, the sector is coming together to promote the wide variety of professional options to young people embarking on their career.

And for those already in the sector, there has been a greater emphasis on life-long learning to ensure we retain such talent. To support this, RHASS has a number of educational grants and awards providing opportunities for young people to travel and broaden their horizons, in order to bring these ideas home to Scotland. Read about these awards here.

As a sector, we have always adapted to the challenges as they arise. However, it is fundamental to the industry that we actively promote and protect the sector through building a greater understanding of our way of life. That way we can continue to play a pivotal role in the economic and societal success of our country.

To find out more about the role of RHASS, click here. If you’re interested in becoming a member of RHASS, you can find out more here.