Protection must be put in place to ensure dairy farming in South West Scotland remains a national asset, insists Finlay Carson MSP.
He has demanded safeguards be established regardless of the outcome of the consultation process into Galloway becoming the home of the next National Park.
The local constituency MSP raised the issue during Rural Affairs questions at Holyrood on Wednesday.
The Galloway and West Dumfries MSP highlighted the fact that dairy remains a major contributor to the food and drink industry across Scotland.
Mr Carson argued: “Dairy must not be compromised, it must be able to grow, deliver food security and net zero.
“Dumfries and Galloway holds an area which potentially has the biggest opportunity for dairy in the whole world, with regards to net zero milk with no embedded water.
“So will the minister, whatever the National Park decision be, protect the southwest dairy farming as a national asset?”
In her response, Mairi Gougeon said she was in “absolute” agreement with Mr Carson.
The cabinet secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands said: “I think I'm agreeing agree with the Tories probably on quite a number of points today.
“But I think especially in recognition of the fact that the importance of our dairy sector in the South of Scotland.
“Now we recognise that the member will be aware that in relation to the National Park, there has been a consultation underway that closed on the 14th of February, we'll be analysing the results of that and looking at that quite closely.”
However Ms Gougeon added: “But I've always been keen right from the start to emphasise that if there was a proposal that was to go ahead, it has to recognise the very nature that is so unique to Galloway, which of course is so important for agriculture in our country.
“So, I would just want to offer that assurance, we recognise the importance of our dairy sector and particularly how important that is in the South of Scotland.”
