Holyrood under pressure to explain Future Farming Investment Scheme failures
Ministers at Holyrood are facing renewed calls to publish more detail on the Future Farming Investment Scheme, after Conservative MSPs said SNP and Green members blocked amendments aimed at increasing transparency around the grants.
The row followed the final stage of the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill, which was passed by MSPs last week. Amendments put forward by Scottish Conservative Highlands and Islands MSPs Jamie Halcro Johnston and Douglas Ross failed to gain support.
The proposals would have required ministers to publish more information on how decisions were reached under the Future Farming Investment Scheme and to provide clearer feedback to applicants who were unsuccessful.
The Future Farming Investment Scheme was launched as a competitive capital grant designed to support on-farm and croft investment linked to climate and biodiversity objectives.
Applications opened in summer 2025, with funding available for a wide range of equipment and infrastructure improvements.
Demand for the scheme was high. More than 7,500 applications were submitted, with ministers later increasing the funding pot. In total, around £21m was awarded to just over 1,600 successful applicants.
However, 47% of applications were deemed ineligible, prompting frustration among farmers and crofters who had expected to receive support.
Halcro Johnston, the party’s shadow agriculture, connectivity and islands minister, said amendments at Stage 3 would have forced ministers to publish full details relating to the scheme and any future environmental funding programmes.
Douglas Ross tabled a separate amendment calling for unsuccessful applicants to be told why they missed out on funding, alongside commitments to improve the scheme in future rounds.
His proposal also sought confirmation on whether computerised systems were used in assessing applications, an issue the Conservatives say ministers have repeatedly declined to clarify.
The Scottish government has defended its handling of the scheme and opposed the amendments, arguing that statutory reporting requirements were not necessary and that steps were already being taken to improve communication with applicants.
Jamie Halcro Johnston said: “This flagship SNP scheme descended into complete chaos.”
He added: “Many of those who applied were expecting to get this vital funding, only for almost half of them to be told they were ineligible.”
Douglas Ross said unsuccessful applicants deserved clearer answers. “Those who were deemed ineligible for the scheme deserve to know why they were rejected, but they are not being told anything by SNP ministers,” he said.
He added: “With 47% of all applications deemed ineligible, something has gone badly wrong.”
Industry groups have also raised concerns about how outcomes were communicated, while acknowledging the importance of continued investment in farm infrastructure and environmental measures.
Questions remain over how the Scottish Government will handle future funding rounds, including whether changes will be made to eligibility rules, application guidance and feedback processes.
Both MSPs said they would continue to press ministers to learn lessons from the scheme and ensure future funding reaches those most in need, including new entrants, tenant farmers and island communities.
