'Help us to help you': NFUS launches 2024 business intentions survey

NFU Scotland is delivering a ‘help us to help you’ message to farmers and crofters by encouraging them to participate in its 2024 business intentions survey.

Last year, more than 550 responses from all sectors were received, painting a picture of what business changes were planned.

It follows a turbulent few years affected by the pandemic, Brexit, the war in Ukraine and historically high input prices.

NFU Scotland, the largest farming group in Scotland, says it wants to build on that evidential database with a fresh survey, closing on 15 January 2024.

This will help drive its lobbying effort to "secure a profitable farming and crofting industry in the years ahead".

The union's head of policy, Gemma Cooper said: "A solid, robust evidence base is vital when we are speaking to policymakers and parliamentarians.

“We know that members are concerned about many things, including the direction of future support, spiralling costs of inputs and negative perceptions of what we do.

“Our network of local branches, regions and national committees is a fantastic route for information flow, but being able to supplement this with data from the survey is invaluable.

"This input helps us tell the story of how things are on the ground for farmers and crofters."

Those who complete the online survey will be entered into a draw to win a hamper of Scottish food and drink, valued at £100.