If the Conservatives are not prepared to stand up for farmers now and protect them from low-standard imports, they should not expect rural votes when they come knocking for support at the next election, says Labour Shadow Defra Secretary Luke Pollard.
Lord Donald Curry has said Ministers would be ‘wise’ to accept his revised amendment to the Agriculture Bill, which would increase parliamentary scrutiny of future trade deals.
Simmental bulls sold to a 14,000gns high for Islavale, with the average up 411 on the year at 5,589 and a clearance rate of 64 per cent.
Limousin bulls sold to a 9,500gns high, to average 4,652, down 143 on the year, with a clearance rate up 5 per cent on 2019 at 70 per cent.
Beef Shorthorn bulls met a 6,200gns high, selling to an average of 4,410, up 971 on the year and a clearance rate of 64 per cent.
Cammock Nova, a September-2018 born bull from Niall and Katy Blair, Kilry, led the trade in the Salers section.
Females in the Beef Shorthorn section soared a 15,000gns high, marking a new female breed record price for John Elliot, Kelso.
Charolais bulls sold to a 20,000gns high, to average 6,627 up 892 on the year, with a clearance rate of 60 per cent.
Leading on the first of the three days at Stirling was a 10,000gns top call for Aberdeen-Angus bulls.
Farming is a resilient industry, but there is still much work to do on issues such as export certificates, trade deals and future policy to prepare us for Brexit, says Matt Legge, a sheep, beef and pig farmer from the Isle of Wight.