The saying a week is a long time in politics has certainly rung true since the result of the EU referendum was announced last month.
In a desperate attempt to keep abreast of the ever changing situation I have now switched my lunchtime TV to Daily Politics rather than Bargain Hunt.
Am I any the wiser? Probably not.
The result of the EU referendum is not what I voted for. But we are where we are and for me we must move on with what the majority of the UK wanted and respect their views.
Change is always challenging. Any separations I have experienced in the past have been painful and expensive. Despite that the end results have always put me in a much better place.
I was asked to speak a couple of times this past week. My messages apply equally to myself and my own farming business, in light of the EU vote, as they did to the audiences I addressed.
I was invited back to my old school to the end-of-term assembly to give my thoughts to the pupils who were leaving and about to start the next chapter of their lives.
My messages were that a smile alongside a positive and willing attitude would open doors. Remember that you have one life so live it well and give it everything you’ve got. Never fear failure but learn from your mistakes. Finally, and perhaps the one that I personally struggle with the most, never be afraid to change what you are doing.
My second audience was to my mind a much harder proposition. I had been invited along to talk about our use of social media alongside the farm. The event was kindly hosted by Robert MacDonald and his family at Castle Grant Home Farm and run by the SRUC, Farming For A Better Climate.
Although no one said anything, I am pretty sure there would be a few in the audience who thought that I was an alien who had dropped in for the day, with all my talk of views and shares. I spoke about us, the farmer, selling the positive story of our farming industry and how social media is an excellent tool that enables us to connect directly to the consumer.
With the use of tagging and sharing posts directly on to the timelines of companies, organisations and
politicians you have the power to bypass many of the suit-wearing individuals who may have prevented or diluted your message from being heard in the past.
My final point, which I honestly believe is vital for the future of our red meat industry outside the EU, is for us all to get behind the Scotch Lamb and Scotch Beef brands. Nothing is perfect in life. For me it’s a no brainer: back our own brands. After all we are adhering to a set of standards and principles which are some of the highest in the world.
Never mind what they are doing for us. What can we do to help them promote our Scotch brands on the home and worldwide markets?
