A new fund has been established to help small-scale farmers and producers increase their resilience and enhance their contribution to the rural economy.
The Small Producers Pilot Fund will replace the Small Farms Grants Scheme, and aims to increase the proportion of food grown and processed by small farms.
The Scottish government’s fund will open later this year.
The fund also aims to improve access to training, skills, further processing, and food supply chains.
Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: “We are committed to ensuring accessible support for small producers and small businesses, including small scale food production and processing.”
The fund’s pilot will assist in creating more-localised food supply chains, enhancing producer value and cutting food miles.
Additionally, it will provide the opportunity to support individual small producers in developing their skills.
Responding to the fund, Rare Breeds Survival Trust vice president, Martin Beard, said small scale producers were ‘crucial’ to a future for Scottish farming.
“This initiative from government, combined with action on challenges such as the scarcity of local abattoirs, can help unlock the potential of small scale producers for Scotland’s communities, economy and environment.”
