Funding

Farmers and crofters will benefit from £20 million additional capital support this year and £26 million next year, First Minister John Swinney has confirmed.

Speaking at the NFU Scotland annual conference he outlined how at least £14 million of the funding will deliver a Future Farming Investment Scheme, providing flexible capital grants.

The Royal Countryside Trust has launched a new UK-wide Supporting Rural Communities grant programme which is now open for expressions of interest.

The agreement between South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) and Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society (SAOS) will support the industry’s transition towards Net Zero emissions, while aiming to increase its Gross Value Added (GVA) for the region.

Communities across the country will benefit from £9 million Scottish Government funding for measures to help cut energy costs and support the development of locally-owned renewable energy projects.

Farmer-led groups are recommending the Whole Farm Plan to support farmers and crofters in taking a holistic view of their businesses.

By establishing their current performance and activities, farmers and crofters can identify opportunities for improvement and work towards greater productivity and profitability, positioning their business to contribute to meeting Scotland’s climate and nature targets.

Operational renewable energy projects across Scotland have now committed over £30 million worth of community benefits to communities in the last 12 months.

Scotland’s forestry workforce must grow by 72% between 2022 and 2027 to meet the country’s ambitious tree-planting targets. 

This skills gap presents an urgent challenge to ensure the sector is equipped with the professionals needed to meet these goals. 

Lantra have announced that the Women in Scottish Aquaculture (WiSA) Mentoring Programme will be active again in 2025, with the announcement that the scheme is open for applications.

The Dumfries & Galloway Tree Planting Grant scheme (DGTPG) is still open for applications. 

The DGTPG covers the whole of the Dumfries and Galloway area and seeks to grow the numbers of woodland trees with small areas of planting to benefit the Dumfries and Galloway landscape whilst promoting the guardianship of woodland environments in local communities.

The original manuscript of a Gaelic love song written during the Battle of the Somme is to be housed at a new cultural centre.

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