It was fantastic to see HRH The Duke of Rothesay visiting Peterhead last week as part of a tour of Aberdeenshire.
The food and drink we produce here in the northeast is second to none and it is right that it is given proper recognition.
Prince Charles toured local businesses, Amity Fish and Rora Dairy.
Jimmy Buchan of Amity and Mr and Mrs Mackie of Rora have both done the town and the constituency proud with their success.
I’m delighted that Rora Dairy has been selected to supply yoghurt products for the upcoming COP26 event in Glasgow thanks to its innovative and environmentally sustainable practices.
On a previous visit there, I was amazed at the level of innovation and technology that was being applied to keep carbon emissions to a minimum while maintaining a top-quality product.
I was also pleased to be able to attend a COP26 ‘fact finding’ visit last week – at Nether Aden Farm near Mintlaw.
The visit was organised jointly by NFU Scotland, Quality Meat Scotland and SAC Consulting and, among other things was interesting to learn about hydrogen-fuelled tractors.
Another example of successful, innovated practices in agriculture were on display on my visit to the Essie Suffolk flock on Adziel Farm near Strichen.
Mrs Irene Fowlie made headlines earlier in the year by being reported as the first new export of live breeding animals to another country – Georgia – since leaving the European Union.
I was only too glad to help with the process of obtaining the required Environmental Health Certification and other paperwork to facilitate this high value export.
I also had the honour of meeting with Georgia’s ambassador to the UK, Her Excellency Sofio Katsarava MBE last week and discussing this and possible future trade opportunities between our countries.