7. To ask the Scottish Government how its agricultural development projects will boost organic produce and improve environmental practice, as part of its work towards achieving its net zero targets. (S6O-02686)

I am fully committed to supporting organic farming under our vision for agriculture, in which we outlined our ambition for Scotland to become a world leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture.

We have funded the role of an organic development manager, with a key objective of addressing market opportunities, domestic and international, for Scottish organic produce. That has included significant research into organic abattoir provision in Scotland, as well as having contributed to work on a small producers pilot scheme. We are working with the organic sector to establish a new organic food and farming action plan to deliver sustained growth in the organic market.

On the back of the Deputy First Minister’s recent visit to Marshill farm, in my region, to highlight Scottish Government funding for the Scottish organic dairy goals 2023 project, how can the project identify meaningful measurements of natural capital in carbon and address issues relating to organic protein in central Scotland?

First, I am delighted that we have been able to fund that project through the knowledge transfer and innovation fund. The project, among a range of other outputs, undertakes a series of carbon audits and soil analysis testing among members of the organic co-operative. The tests are being discussed and benchmarked across the co-operative, with the support of experts, to explore the value in conservation management and the potential marketable value in measurables. The co-operative is having similar peer-to-peer support by hosting meetings about grasslands and soils in order to optimise forage utilisation and home-grown proteins.

The outcome that we hope to see across all that work is increased confidence for informed decision making on carbon efficiency, natural capital management and organic proteins. Overall, the work that the group is taking forward should offer a more efficient, resilient and market-led Scottish organic dairy sector.

R ecent flooding has demonstrated how vulnerable Scottish agriculture can be to bad weather and has exposed the impact that it can have on crop resilience, including in East Lothian and the Scottish Borders.

Will the Scottish Government finally commit to kicking its political prejudices into touch and commit to using genetic technology as a means to bolster our future food resilience?

The Deputy Presiding Officer:

I think that Ms Mackay’s question related specifically to organic produce and improving environmental practice, but the Cabinet secretary might want to answer, perhaps in that context.

In previous responses, I have outlined that I recognise the damage that the recent flooding has done and how important it is to build resilience. I have outlined a number of measures that we are looking at in relation to how we need to work with our farmers and land managers. I have addressed that in previous responses.