The Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation (SSPO) has postponed a new public engagement initiative in an effort to help halt the spread of COVID-19.
Under the SSPO’s planned Open Farm initiative, the sector had planned to open 16 farms across the Highlands and Islands providing a total of 64 tours to show local people, media and politicians exactly how Scottish salmon is grown and looked after. The initiative was due to be run during May this year.
“Our first priority now has to be protecting the health and welfare of everyone working on the farms so that they can continue supplying UK consumers with salmon,” said Hamish Macdonell, director of strategic engagement for SSPO. “While it is disappointing to postpone this ground-breaking project, we will bring it back again when the time is right,” he added.
The ‘discovery days’ would have offered guests the chance to get out on a farm, watch the fish, talk to the farmers and learn more about how salmon from Scotland reaches supermarkets and restaurants throughout the UK and across the world.
SSPO had also planned to exhibit at the Royal Highland Show in the Royal Highland Education Trust area which sees more than 20,000 children with teachers or parents visit every year. This has now been deferred as has a reception at the Scottish Parliament to showcase the strides made by the sector in the last year.
