WIREDGOV

Forestry Grant Scheme and Agri-Environment Climate Scheme open for applications.

Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead has announced the launch of further rural funding schemes yesterday (30 March 2015).

The Forestry Grant Scheme (FGS) and the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) are now open for funding applications from farmers, crofters and land managers across Scotland.

Applications can be submitted online using the new Rural Payments and Services system which the Scottish Government launched in January this year.

The AECS and FGS can only be applied for online and everyone (including those who plan to apply for other Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) schemes by paper) must first register at https://www.ruralpayments.org, otherwise their payments will not be processed.

Mr Lochhead said:

“After much hard work from everyone involved, we are pleased to announce that the Forestry Grant Scheme and the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme are now open for funding applications.

“As in previous years, customers must apply for these schemes online. Fifty five per cent of our customers have now registered with our new system. But for those who haven’t, they must remember that in order for us to process payments for FGS and AECS, and all other CAP funding, everyone must register for the Rural Payments and Services system by 15 May 2015.”

The Agri-Environment Climate Scheme promotes land management practices which protect and enhance Scotland’s magnificent natural heritage, improve water quality, manage flood risk and mitigate and adapt to climate change. It will also help to improve public access and preserve historic sites. The scheme will be open for applications until 12 June 2015.

The Forestry Grant Scheme will support woodland creation and promote the sustainable management of existing woodlands. This will to help deliver the Scottish Government’s target to establish 100,000 hectares of new woodland by 2022.

Support for positive management of existing woodlands will produce a wide range of public benefits, including more jobs and businesses, increased opportunities for recreation and access, and enhancing the diversity of Scotland’s woodlands so that they are better for wildlife and more resilient to new pests and diseases.

The FGS is open for applications all year. Anyone who has not already registered online with the Rural Payments and Services system should visit https://www.ruralpayments.org.

Notes To Editors

During the Scottish Rural Development Programme 2014–2020, a total of £252 million will be available through the Forestry Grant Scheme and a total of £350 million will be available through the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme.

In order to apply for funding, all farmers, crofters and land managers must register on the Scottish Government’s new Rural Payments and Services system, which replaces Rural Payments Online. Register online at: https://www.ruralpayments.org

All the guidance farmers, crofters and land managers need to complete applications for the Forestry Grant Scheme and the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme is now available on the Rural Payments and Services website at https://www.ruralpayments.org/publicsite/futures/topics/all-schemes/

We recently published detailed guidance for the following Pillar 2 schemes: Young Farmers Start-Up Grant Scheme, New Entrants Start-Up Grant Scheme, Small Farms Grant Scheme and New Entrants Capital Grant Scheme. These can be found at:https://www.ruralpayments.org/publicsite/futures/topics/updates/updates-to-guidance/

With every new system development, there are always areas for on-going improvements and we will do this using our scheduled maintenance windows.

Rural Payments and Services will be unavailable every Thursday from 9pm to midnight and also at the same time on Tuesdays until the 2nd of April, while the site undergoes planned maintenance. There may be occasional exceptions to this, such as when we need to apply urgent fixes – but, as always, we will seek to minimise service disruption wherever possible.