NFU Scotland acknowledges the strong interest shown by members in the recent round of the Future Farming Investment Scheme (FFIS). The volume of applications submitted exceeded the funding available and is a clear sign of the ambition, forward-thinking and investment mindset within Scotland’s farming community.
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Thanks to sustained lobbying by NFU Scotland, the Scottish Government significantly increased the scheme’s budget earlier this year, taking total available funding to over £21.4 million. This uplift was a direct response to the high level of industry demand, and a clear recognition of the case we made on behalf of members across the country.
We are pleased that a number of NFU Scotland members have been successful in their application process. However, we have also heard from other members who are understandably disappointed not to have been successful, despite having what they believed were strong and eligible applications. Initial feedback from our members has focused around perceived inconsistencies in how applications have been assessed and the low success rate among the Ministerial Priority Groups. Clearly these issues need to be better understood in the days and weeks ahead and we will be seeking further discussions with the Scottish Government to do so.
We remain encouraged by the clear and growing appetite across the industry to invest in sustainability, productivity and resilience. That level of demand highlights why long-term, well-funded investment schemes remain vital to the future of Scottish agriculture.
Although NFU Scotland is not responsible for administering or assessing applications, we will continue to play an active role in representing members’ views during the development of such schemes.
We are already engaging with the Scottish Government on how the next round of FFIS, supported through the £26 million budget, can be shaped to meet the needs of our members and ensure lessons from this round are taken forward into future opportunities. This includes ensuring that future schemes:
- Reflect the scale of ambition across Scottish agriculture;
- Are designed to be as clear, fair and accessible as possible;
- Provide applicants with confidence throughout the process.
Our commitment remains to champion investment that supports a profitable and sustainable farming sector. We thank all members who engaged with the scheme and encourage those who wish to share their experience to get in touch with their regional manager or email us at
contactus@nfus.org.uk.
Andrew Connon
NFUS President
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