Angus Tayside Association of Young Farmers Clubs did well this week to organise one of the first cross-party hustings of the general election campaign.
In Brechin, candidates from six parties faced a grilling under the chairmanship of former Courier deputy and political editor Steve Bargeton.
Not surprisingly, agricultural and rural matters dominated the meeting.
Five of the candidates are standing in the Angus constituency: namely Mike Weir of the SNP, who was MP for the area until the dissolution of Parliament earlier in the week; Derek Wann of the Scottish Conservatives; Calum Walker of Ukip; Sanjay Samani of the Scottish Liberal Democrats; and David Mumford of the Scottish Green Party.
The sixth panel member was Lesley Brennan, who is standing for the Scottish Labour Party in neighbouring Dundee East, which although primarily urban has a swathe of south Angus in its boundaries.
Here are their views on continued membership of the EU, implementation of the CAP and renewable energy.
* Derek Wann (Conservative)
“There will only be a referendum on the EU if there is a Conservative majority.
“I would like us to stay in the EU, but only if we can have legislative changes.”
On CAP implementation and greening, Mr Wann criticised the SNP government for taking the responsibility for running their farms away from farmers.
Asked about subsidies for renewable energy, Mr Wann said he thought feed-in-tariffs (Fits) were unsustainable. They were already costing consumers between £100 and £150 per year, and would cost the country £100bn by 2030.
* Mike Weir (SNP)
“As regards CAP implementation, if the computer scheme is having problems then extra time has to be negotiated.
“If there was to be an ‘out’ vote in a referendum, of course there would be no CAP.
“Norway and Switzerland are often quoted as examples of countries which operate successfully and access EU markets, but it is often forgotten they have to work to the same EU rules. If we were outside the EU we would be cutting off markets for UK produce.”
On renewable energy Mr Weir said he had always argued in favour and had voted to stop Fits being reduced for solar projects.
“The trouble with wind power in Angus is that objections always come from the MoD at Leuchars,” he added.
* Sanjay Samani (Liberal Democrat)
“Nick Clegg has always argued against a referendum. EU membership is vital for exports from the UK and for access to a skilled labour force.
“I believe there should be EU reforms, but with us at the centre of the changes.”
Mr Samani said he was generally supportive of renewable energy but, living in Alyth, he was well aware of the objections to very large-scale wind projects on the Angus/Perthshire border.
* Lesley Brennan (Labour)
“I have to admit the CAP doesn’t come up much as a topic in Dundee East, but I can be quite clear that the Labour Party is in favour of staying in the EU and there should be no referendum.
“The EU may need changes, but they should come from within. In my day job as an economist I am well aware of the importance of trade with the EU.”
* David Mumford (Green Party)
“The Greens are broadly in favour of continuing EU membership.
“We welcome the environmental measures in the new CAP and hope they lead to a more sustainable rural framework.
“On renewable energy we cannot allow the markets to dominate the agenda because they don’t take into account the externalities such as the effect on climate change.
“We need to develop energy storage, but that is a long-term investment.”
* Calum Walker (Ukip)
“I believe we would be better to come out of the EU. It is not in Britain’s interest to stay in.
“If we were out we would need to have a UK-style Single Farm Payment, but first we would need to decide if it was to promote food security or whether it should have an environmental side as well.
“The problem with the present CAP implementation is that Holyrood has taken something poor and made it worse.”
Mr Walker was in favour of renewable energy; however, as “a believer in market forces”, he did not want to see projects subsidised.