Get a helping hand to kick start your farming or crofting business

Setting up a farming or crofting business comes with its challenges. Not only do you need a well-designed business plan, you will also need to have good knowledge of agriculture and be able to adapt quickly to the unexpected. However, you don’t need to do this alone. If you haven’t thought about mentoring before, now is the time.

If you’re new to farming or have become head of a farming business within the last five years, you can take advantage of the free mentoring programme available through the Farm Advisory Service (FAS). With access up to 4 days of one-to-one time with a personal mentor available, you can gain valuable skills and knowledge matched to your business needs. It’s a great way to access the tools and knowledge you need to successfully navigate those vital early growth years and more importantly, avoid the common pitfalls to success.

A recent survey by the FAS found that 100% of farmers and crofters who have used its mentoring service would recommend it to others. In addition, over two thirds of respondents reported benefitting from the following improvements from receiving mentoring support:

• Livestock/crop improvements
• Improved soil management
• Better business planning/decision-making
• Financial benefit from reduced costs/overheads
• Improved profit margin
• More awareness of how to comply with agricultural legislation

You can hear about the experiences and knowledge gained from previous participants of the mentoring programme by visiting the FAS mentoring page.

Apply today

If you think you will benefit from being paired with an experienced farmer or crofter in your sector, you can apply here. Alternatively, call 0300 323 0161 or email advice@fas.scot.

*Mentoring support is available to those who have set up or become head of a farming business within the last five years. You will need to be registered in Scotland with the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) and hold a Business Reference Number (BRN).