The voters who feed Scotland – from the muddy fields to the restaurant pass – are set to challenge Scotland’s political parties on the realities of running rural businesses in 2026 and beyond.
On Monday 30 March a group of organisations from the Scottish Agroecology Partnership will host The Voters Who Feed and Steward Scotland – a major food and farming hustings at Bowhouse, Balcaskie Estate, Fife.
Differing to theoretical policy debates, this event, led by chef Pam Brunton, will focus on the practical day-to-day economics of Scottish agriculture and producing good food. It will aim to bridge the gap between political rhetoric and the practical reality of keeping rural enterprises profitable, resilient, and nature-friendly.
Soil Association Scotland Co-Director David McKay said: “Food security is national security, and the rural vote has never been more critical. This is a rare opportunity to see politicians step away from the podium and face the reality of the supply chain. We are bringing the voters who literally feed the nation face-to-face with the people asking to lead it.”
A new format: from pasture to plate
The evening is set to “break the mould” of the traditional town-hall hustings. The debate will be steered by two of Scotland’s respected voices in food and farming, ensuring questions go beyond the surface:
- Session 1: Hosted by Pam Brunton. As the acclaimed chef and co-owner of Inver Restaurant, Brunton is a specialist in transforming local produce into world-class food. She will press candidates on supply chains, the rural economy, and the culinary potential of Scotland’s land and seas.
- Session 2: Hosted by Jock Gibson. A Nuffield Scholar and cattle farmer at Edinvale Farm, Jock brings deep expertise in livestock management; and will focus on the gritty practicalities of maintaining a viable farming business in a changing ecological landscape.
Farmers call for system change
Rachel Ives is a sheep and beef farmer at Kilburns Farm, Balmerino Fife. Building on her mother’s work to plant 25 hectares of native woodland which provides sheltered grazing for her herd of Dexter cattle, she is developing a flock of merino-cross sheep on bio-diverse grassland and marketing the wool and organic meat they produce under the brand name balmerino™. The research work undertaken at Kilburn has shown a dramatic increase in insect species, in particular, improved carbon retention in the soil and a growing numbers of birds, including owls, and of course, the iconic curlew, which they use as their motif.
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Rachel said: “Changing the current supply chain system needs to be a much more grassroots up process. We are lucky in Fife, that there are already a number of existing initiatives, such as Food4Fife, that place emphasis on the requirement for locally-produced, affordable, nutritious food; the challenge is to bring these together and address the ‘elephant in the room’, which is the procurement policies of public bodies and supermarkets, respectively.
“We need to be addressing the four ‘P’s’ of Planet, People, Property and Profit, taking a practical, whole systems approach, literally from grassroots up. Having Jock Gibson and Pam Brunton chair these sessions, helps bring the reality of what it takes to put food that is responsibly produced, sourced and delivered on the table. The political question is what is the real value of our rural communities and the all year round security of affordable, nutritious produce?”
Nim Kibbler, Country Manager at Nature Friendly Farming Network, said: ”We are stripping away the policy jargon to focus on the bottom line. By having Jock Gibson and Pam Brunton chair these sessions, we are connecting the supply chain – from the primary producer to the plate. The question isn’t just about environmental schemes; it’s about business viability. Can we run profitable enterprises that deliver for nature? If the answer is no, then our system is broken.”
