NFU Scotland is continuing to run its campaign to provide farmers with a means by which they can help cut accidents on rural roads.
NFU Scotland hopes that motorists themselves will also gain a greater understanding of what farming delivers.
It is well known that some motorists, including farmers themselves, can get frustrated when they encounter slow moving farm vehicles on public roads and are unable to overtake. In fact, research shows that two-thirds of all fatalities happen on open roads and young drivers are twice as likely to be killed or seriously injured on these roads as their driving counterparts in the city.
NFU Scotland has produced a bumper sticker for farmers to stick on their trailers which apologises for the delay and highlights the fact that farmers are busy producing what shoppers want – food.
So far, about 1,500 stickers, which read: "Sorry for the delay. Farmgate to dinner plate – good food comes to those who wait …" have been requested by individual farmers.
NFU Scotland spokeswoman Anna Davies told TheSouthern this week: "This is not just about getting the stickers into the hands of farmers, we also want to ensure that they actually reach the trailers.
"If your farming readers would like a sticker, they can call 0131 472 4000 and we will send them a copy."
In addition, NFU Scotland is reminding all those driving slow-moving vehicles to be aware of any hold ups they might be causing and make every effort to pull over at any available opportunity to allow motorists to overtake and continue their journey without delay.
Alison Mitchell, NFUS Business Development Manager, says the farming industry has a very important job to do in providing food for 57 million people and taking care of Scotland's countryside and, sometimes, this job requires farm vehicles to travel on the road and this can cause delays.
"We are therefore asking all farmers and farm workers to take extra care to pull over and allow motorists to overtake.
"We are also asking motorists to recognise all that farmers do in terms of food production and taking care of the environment, and to have patience with the fact that this sometimes requires the slow movement of farm traffic.
"Drivers do get frustrated when they are delayed on the road and in extreme cases this frustration can cause accidents.
"An apology by farmers, and an understanding by motorists of why there are sometimes delays, can go a long way.
"The public is Scottish farming's ultimate customer and farming produces much of the quality food consumed on dinner tables every day.
"It is therefore important that we develop a mutual understanding so that everyone can be supportive of Scottish farming and nobody is frustrated by short delays."
l Road Safety Scotland is currently running an Open Roads safety campaign to highlight the dangers on rural roads.