NFU Scotland has urged ministers to deliver a £90m uplift in farm funding as budget decisions loom, warning that now is the moment to turn political promises into action for farming and crofting.
The union is pressing the Scottish government to commit to increased, multi-year and ring-fenced investment in agriculture, arguing that farming must be recognised as a central pillar of Scotland’s economy, environment and food security.
As part of that push, NFU Scotland is calling on ministers to honour their commitment that at least 70% of Agriculture and Rural Economy (ARE) funding will be allocated as direct support during the agricultural transition years of 2025/26 and 2026/27.
The pledge was made publicly by First Minister John Swinney MSP at the union’s conference in February, and NFU Scotland says it must now be reflected in the 2026–27 Scottish Budget.
The union believes the Spending Review provides the necessary “line of sight” and fiscal headroom to deliver the £90m uplift. It says the upcoming budget will be a key test of whether Scottish agriculture is genuinely being prioritised within the government’s wider economic strategy, a benchmark set out in NFU Scotland’s new policy strategy and its forthcoming manifesto, due in early 2026.
NFU Scotland president Andrew Connon said ministers must now back ambition with funding. “The Scottish government says it wants a thriving rural economy, food security, climate delivery and nature restoration,” he said.
“But none of those ambitions can be delivered without profitable, active farming and crofting. Ministers made a clear public commitment on future support, it’s now time to honour that promise and turn words into action.”
The union has warned that failure to increase and protect farm funding risks fragmented delivery, missed national targets and a rural economy unable to fulfil its potential.
In its submission to the Scottish Budget, NFU Scotland sets out the economic case for investment, highlighting analysis suggesting that every £1 invested in farming generates around £6 in wider economic output. The sector supports thousands of rural businesses and underpins Scotland’s £19bn food and drink industry.
Farmers and crofters manage more than 70% of Scotland’s land and are central to delivering outcomes on food security, climate action and biodiversity. NFU Scotland says that role cannot be fulfilled without consistent and credible support.
Mr Connon said confidence was as important as funding levels. “This is not just about headline figures, it’s about confidence,” he said. “We need a stable, long-term investment model that can support innovation, provide the platform for growth and unlock private finance. That starts with a real-terms increase, ring-fenced protection and a clear signal from government that agriculture matters.”
NFU Scotland’s budget submission calls for a £90m uplift to the ARE budget, multi-year funding certainty, ring-fencing to prevent dilution of agricultural spend, a guarantee that at least 70% of funding goes to direct support during the transition period, and full delivery of the £26m Future Farming Investment Scheme.
With the Scottish Budget approaching, NFU Scotland said the coming months would be decisive in determining whether farming and crofting are backed with the long-term investment needed to support sustainable growth, climate resilience and thriving rural communities.
