NFU Scotland has questioned NatureScot’s impartiality in its forthcoming role as reporter to the Scottish government on the proposed Galloway National Park.
The union highlighted that NatureScot’s position in favour of a new national park 'calls into question its ability to conduct a public consultation in an impartial manner'.
The comments were made by NFU Scotland president Martin Kennedy in a letter to Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Mairi Gougeon.
NatureScot, acting as reporter for the Scottish government on this matter, opened a formal consultation on whether a new national park should be established in Galloway and parts of South and East Ayrshire.
But in the letter to the Cabinet Secretary, Mr Kennedy wrote: “NatureScot committed to conducting its investigation in an open, transparent and inclusive way, but unfortunately, its clear bias is preventing this from happening.
“Our members in the Galloway and Ayrshire regions feel that their views are not represented, their voices are not heard, and their opinions do not matter.
"They feel the matter on whether Galloway should become a new national park has already been decided by a small minority.”
The region was chosen from a five-strong shortlist after a lengthy review of criteria, despite concern from rural and farming groups.
If given the official designation, Galloway will be the first national park in the UK in about 15 years.
But NFU Scotland and other industry groups have maintained strong opposition since the early stages of its bid.
In a public survey undertaken by the union, the majority (73%) of 2,000 respondents said they were against the proposal.
Throughout the consultation process, the union has emphasised to Scottish government and NatureScot how it fears the park will impact rural communities and future food production.
On 30 October, the union's regional manager for Dumfries and Galloway gave oral evidence to the Scottish parliament, underlining how disappointed farmers were with the process of handling the proposal.
Mhairi Dawson highlighted that the agriculture, climate and biodiversity aims of a new national park would already be delivered by the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act, therefore negating the need for a national park.
She said: "We have clear concerns that NatureScot has already intimated that it is not neutral in this matter.
"NatureScot is a proponent of a national park and that brings its impartiality as a reporter into question.”
