THE BBC has been accused of editing out reference to Brexit's impact from a report on issues affecting farmers amid potential food shortages.

Scots have been left questioning a segment that aired on both BBC Scotland’s The Seven and Reporting Scotland.

A social media user compared an awkward cut as National Farmers Union (NFU) Scotland president Martin Kennedy was speaking to a written-up BBC News website piece quoting the same interview.

Kennedy was speaking about a "perfect storm" that farmers were facing.

The National:

In the clip aired on BBC Scotland, Kennedy said: “We’ve heard the term before about a ‘perfect storm’, but I have never seen anything like this before.

“And it really is a perfect storm, on the back of the Covid issues where we had a real lack of labour.”

At that point, there was a clear cut, before Kennedy continued: “And now of course, with the Ukraine crisis, the implication that has on energy costs, in particular on feed, fertiliser and fuel, has compounded the whole thing.

“Every sector’s facing some real challenges coming forward, and the last thing we want to be doing is winding down on production because the implications that will have on our consumer further down the track, it will be even greater food inflation.”

However, Twitter user RobertTyreBute, after seeing the package, pointed to coverage of the item on the BBC website.

It reads: “NFU Scotland president Martin Kennedy told BBC Scotland the impact of Russia's invasion, after a two-year period which brought Brexit and the Covid pandemic, was ‘absolutely devastating’.

“He added: ‘I have not seen anything like this before. It is completely unprecedented. The long-term implications of that is going to have a serious impact right across the food supply chain. We have heard the term before about a 'perfect storm', but I have never seen anything like this before.’”

While Brexit appears in this written version, it does not in the clip – despite that being one of the elements making up the “perfect storm” that Kennedy is talking about – sparking questions about whether that had been cut by the BBC.

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Leaving the European Union has caused a shortage of permanent and seasonal workers, haulage drivers and processing staff, impacting the food and drink sector.

Addressing the NFU Scotland conference earlier this year, Kennedy said problems caused by Brexit were “far from over”, citing “continuous hurdles on border checks and labour shortages”.

The BBC have been approached for comment.

Appearing on BBC Scotland’s The Sunday Show last month, Kennedy had to correct the presenter after the show had portrayed his criticism of the UK Government as being directed at the Scottish Government.

Host Martin Geissler, on the subject of potential food shortages, said: “Let’s look at what, then, can be done about this. You recently told the Scottish Government they’ve got to take their heads out of the sand.

“What did you mean by that? What do you want them to do to help?”

Kennedy began: “Well, it was applicable to… it was actually… it was Westminster, to be honest.

“[Westminster] was the target, cause that was a whole number of issues – basically, that was to do with immigration policy, quite frankly.”

Immigration policy is reserved to Westminster.