Four prominent farming spokespeople gave their backing to the Scottish Independence campaign on Wednesday. With the vote on independence just over a month away, four former leaders of NFU Scotland have expressed their support for an independent Scotland at a press conference at the Yes Scotland Headquarters.

The vote on independence takes place on 18^th September. John Ross, Jim Walker, John Kinnaird and John Cameron, all Past Presidents of the union, said they are convinced that the safety and security of the Scottish farming industry is better served under an independent Scottish government than by Westminster, which they criticised as "Remote, out-of-touch and unsupportive".

Speaking form Glasgow, they said Scotland’s 65,000 farmers, crofters and growers (as well as the 250,000 others who depend of agriculture for their living) would do better if Scotland was a fully independent nation. 

John Ross, a livestock farmer for 50 years and president of NFUS from 1990 to 1996, said, "Farming and rural affairs need to be at the forefront of all future Scottish government thinking – and being fully committed members of the European Union is an essential part of that policy.

"An independent Scotland is the only way that this can be secured. A No vote will mean years of uncertainty about a UK government's EU membership and commitment and this will have very serious consequences for the future of Scottish farming."

Though polls are showing a slight majority favour independence overall in Scotland, earlier polls and recent debates seem to show that, on the whole, farmers are uncertain about independence, largely due to concerns over currency and the timeframe for gaining entry into the EU.

Even so, Dr John Cameron added, "The recent decision by the British Minister at Defra to distribute to the whole of the UK the Convergence Fund from the EU – which was granted to lift the level of Single Farm Payment  in Scotland to the UK average – was completely unjustified and against the legitimate expectations of Scottish farmers.

"My experience is that the development of agriculture policy has been handled with much better understanding between the industry and the Scottish Government and that this position will only be strengthened with independence."

However, another former NFUS President and Lib Dem MSP, George Lyon, was the first former president to make his voting intentions public. Lyon is leading the 'Rural Better Together' campaign and claims that "Food and farming industries are better placed to thrive thanks to Scotland being part of a strong UK."

On Wednesday, Jim Walker, who was NFU Scotland president from 1998 to 2003, countered that, "We know from the decisions the Treasury has consistently taken over the last 20 years, irrespective of the party in power, it will prioritise cutting expenditure on food, farming and rural development rather than encouraging investment."

Walker continued, "That has been the pattern for years and won't change now. ‘Independence, on the other hand, will allow us to really back our food and farming sector, set our own priorities and sit at the European negotiating table, no longer affected by the UK Treasury indifference."

Rural Affairs Secretary and Scottish National Party MSP Richard Lochhead said Wednesday's announcement by thefour former farming leaders "Is highly significant and sends a powerful message to not only rural Scotland but the whole nation."