Scottish £1,000 business resilience grant scheme extended

A scheme that offers farmers in Scotland up to £1,000 to fund business resilience planning has been extended beyond its original deadline of March 2020.

A pilot of the scheme was so successful that the Farm Advisory Service (FAS) has announced that it will become an ongoing part of its offering to Scottish farmers.

The cash can be used to pay for an expert to undertake a thorough review of the farm business, examining key performance indicators (KPIs), profitability and cashflow.

See also: Up to £1,000 for Scots farm business health check 

The adviser will then develop an action plan to address the business’s challenges.

Unlike other specialist grant schemes offered by FAS, there is no requirement for a business to conduct an Integrated Land Management Plan first.

The FAS said Scottish farming businesses were operating at a time of unprecedented change, with factors such as Brexit, climate change, changing social trends and market fluctuations making it challenging for any business to maintain and safeguard profitability.

Strengthening business resilience was key to successfully navigating change, it said, adding: “Scottish farming businesses are operating at a time of unprecedented change.”