Rural Business
Business and Policy April 2026 – Policy Brief
Food and Drink Processing Scheme As part of a £9 million investment by the Scottish Government to drive efficiency, productivity, innovation and investment in the Scottish Food and Drink sector, applications have opened for the Food and Drink Processing Scheme. The Food and Drink Processing Scheme offers grants of up to £400,000 to cover up to 40% of a project’s eligible costs. Eligible costs include: Buildings and Fixed Infrastructure – including…
Business and Policy April 2026 – Digital Dairy Chain – Maker Spaces
Are you making the most of the resources you have available or making the best margin you can on your farm or croft produce? With part of the focus of future agricultural policy agricultural policy under the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 being for the production of high quality food and to enable rural…
Business and Policy February 2026 – Digital Marketing: Making your Farm or Croft Stand Out
With livestock to feed, fences to repair, and spring sowing around the corner, it is not surprising that marketing is often a job which falls down your to-do list. However, neglecting it risks putting your business on the back foot. As business owners and consumers become increasingly digitally savvy, not taking the time to consider how you represent yourself online is leaving the door open to your competition. Good marketing…
Business and Policy February 2026 – Policy Update
Agri-Tourism Investment Scheme The Scottish Government have launched a new £1 million capital grant scheme for the Agri-Tourism Sector. The Agri-Tourism Investment Scheme (AIS) is designed to help agritourism businesses in Scotland to be financially sustainable, profitable, and resilient businesses that will play a key role in sustaining the future of Scottish agriculture. The Scheme application window opened on the 19th of January…
Business and Policy January 2026: Management Matters – Geopolitics and Global Trends
Geopolitics Looking ahead for 2026, with a trend starting with Donald Trump’s inauguration back in January 2025, geopolitics will continue to be the key influencer over agricultural commodity markets; with the age old simple ‘laws’ of economic supply and demand continuing to take a back seat. While the war in Ukraine and other conflicts around…
Business and January 2026 – Policy Brief
Round up of 2026 At the start of the year, following Storm Babet, the Scottish Government announced that a National Flood Advisory Service would be established to improve Scotland’s flood resilience and to embed best practice on a nationwide scale. Key actions for the service included support for smaller flood protection schemes and property level flood resilience. The Scottish Government also announced that a new Housing Planning Hub would be operational in 2025;…
Rural Roundup – Autumn Budget 2025
Welcome back to the Rural Round-up. On today’s episode George Chalmers and Mary-Jane Lawrie are joined by Andrew Coalter to discuss what the recent Autumn Budget means for farming. Timestamps 02:05 Upcoming deadlines 04:51 Preparing for Sustainable Farming (PSF) 06:35 Greening 2026 07:34 Introduction to Andrew Coalter 09:45 Autumn budget – overall summary 11:47 Autumn budget – Relief (APR & BPR) 14:08 Autumn budget – Practical…
Make a Resolution: Plan Your Future with FAS
As the year draws to a close and families gather for the winter holidays, it’s the perfect time to think about the future of your farm or croft. Succession planning is often the elephant in the room—difficult to discuss, yet essential for securing your business and your family’s future. Succession looks different for everyone. It…
Business and Policy December 2025 – Policy Brief
Future Farming Investment Scheme – Update Following the announcement last month that the Scottish Government had increased the total grant funding under the new Future Farming Investment Scheme (FFIS) to £21.4 million; it was announced at AgriScot that funding will be made available for a further 102 applicants, mainly applicants from the islands and the…
Business and Policy December 2025 – Management Matters: Autumn Budget
Autumn Budget 2025 Tax and save – not tax and spend The Autumn Budget delivered by Chancellor Rachel Reeves places the emphasis firmly on raising revenue to restore fiscal sustainability. While headline tax rates have not risen, the combination of tax threshold freezes and targeted increases to income from wealth means that most individuals and…