Contribution of Co-operatives to Scotland's Economy

That the Parliament recognises what it considers to be the vital contribution of co-operatives to Scotland's economy, including across East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs and in rural and island communities throughout Scotland; acknowledges their important role in strengthening food security, supporting environmental protection, building business resilience and advancing community wealth building; recognises the value of co-operation in enabling farmers, businesses and communities to share resources, invest in innovation and retain economic value locally; welcomes the publication of Resilience Amidst Volatility, the recent manifesto for rural co-operation by the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society (SAOS), which highlights opportunities to expand co-operative working; notes the view that co-operation is of growing importance in responding to economic and geopolitical uncertainty, climate change and technological transformation, and believes that there is significant potential for further ambition and a long-term approach to developing Scotland's co-operative sector, placing co-operation at the heart of future food and farming policy, rural development and local economic strategies.