Wednesday 07 May 2008 @ 17:17
Scottish Government
Scottish Government
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Scheme to improve business
The future could soon be looking brighter for farms across Scotland following the re-launch today of a £1.5 million business improvement scheme.
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, Richard Lochhead, re-launched the Whole Farm Review Scheme (WFRS) which helps farmers identify how best to maximise their business' potential. The scheme offers increased grants, less paperwork and greater flexibility than its predecessor.
Mr Lochhead said:
"Farming is increasingly market-led and to ensure a healthy future, farm businesses must be equipped and ready to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
"With the Scotland Rural Development Plan now in place and new opportunities beckoning, the Whole Farm Review Scheme can provide a platform for making big decisions about the future.
"Only last month, an Angus farmer told us that his farm had been in a bad way - losing money and financially unsustainable - until a Whole Farm Review helped to identify the real problems, allowing him to reduce costs and chart a way forward.
"This is just one of many cases where farmers have reaped significant benefits from a review and I'd recommend others follow his example."
Application forms and the Scheme booklets are available from any of The Scottish Government's RPID local Area Offices or through the Scheme's own website.
For the vast majority who have put their business to the review test, the experience has resulted in positive improvements. A favourable evaluation last year concluded that the scheme represented good value for money and had helped many businesses to become more profitable and sustainable, although uptake remained disappointing. In an effort to make the scheme more attractive, it has now been re-launched with some key changes:
* An increase in grant levels
* A reduction in paper work and form filling and
* Increased flexibility when reviewing businesses
The WFRS provides:
* a review of recent performance (financial and environmental)
* a review of the skills available to and needed by the business
* identification of key strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities
* consideration of options to improve overall performance
* development of an Action Plan to achieve the identified improvements
* a return visit by the adviser to review progress and provide further advice as necessary and
* an optional additional grant towards further specialist advice identified in the Action Plan
Overall, the scheme provides an eligible farmer with up to £2,400 (an increase of £550 on the previous grant rates) towards the costs of improving the performance of the business.
Grant is payable in 3 stages:
* 80 per cent of the cost (up to a maximum of £1,600 - increase of £400) of the Review (Stage 1)
* 100 per cent of the cost (up to £300 - increase of £50) for the review of the Action Plan (Stage 2) and
* 80 per cent of the cost (up to £500 - increase of £100) for further specialist advice
Any farmer, crofter or Crofting Township/Grazing Committee who is registered in Scotland with IACS or who is using a current milk quota is eligible to apply under the Scheme.
Applications will be considered on a first come first served basis, up to the limit of the budget available in any year.
The Review will be carried out by a professional adviser accredited under the Farm Business Adviser Accreditation Scheme for Scotland. The Scheme is operated on behalf of the Scottish Government by Lantra, the Sector Skills Council for environmental and land-based industries.
The Whole Farm Review Scheme and the associated Accreditation Scheme were developed with the help of a wide range of industry stakeholders, including farmers, industry representatives, advice and skills providers, farm business advisers, environmental bodies and regulators.
Related Information
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment, Richard Lochhead, re-launched the Whole Farm Review Scheme (WFRS) which helps farmers identify how best to maximise their business' potential. The scheme offers increased grants, less paperwork and greater flexibility than its predecessor.
Mr Lochhead said:
"Farming is increasingly market-led and to ensure a healthy future, farm businesses must be equipped and ready to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
"With the Scotland Rural Development Plan now in place and new opportunities beckoning, the Whole Farm Review Scheme can provide a platform for making big decisions about the future.
"Only last month, an Angus farmer told us that his farm had been in a bad way - losing money and financially unsustainable - until a Whole Farm Review helped to identify the real problems, allowing him to reduce costs and chart a way forward.
"This is just one of many cases where farmers have reaped significant benefits from a review and I'd recommend others follow his example."
Application forms and the Scheme booklets are available from any of The Scottish Government's RPID local Area Offices or through the Scheme's own website.
For the vast majority who have put their business to the review test, the experience has resulted in positive improvements. A favourable evaluation last year concluded that the scheme represented good value for money and had helped many businesses to become more profitable and sustainable, although uptake remained disappointing. In an effort to make the scheme more attractive, it has now been re-launched with some key changes:
* An increase in grant levels
* A reduction in paper work and form filling and
* Increased flexibility when reviewing businesses
The WFRS provides:
* a review of recent performance (financial and environmental)
* a review of the skills available to and needed by the business
* identification of key strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities
* consideration of options to improve overall performance
* development of an Action Plan to achieve the identified improvements
* a return visit by the adviser to review progress and provide further advice as necessary and
* an optional additional grant towards further specialist advice identified in the Action Plan
Overall, the scheme provides an eligible farmer with up to £2,400 (an increase of £550 on the previous grant rates) towards the costs of improving the performance of the business.
Grant is payable in 3 stages:
* 80 per cent of the cost (up to a maximum of £1,600 - increase of £400) of the Review (Stage 1)
* 100 per cent of the cost (up to £300 - increase of £50) for the review of the Action Plan (Stage 2) and
* 80 per cent of the cost (up to £500 - increase of £100) for further specialist advice
Any farmer, crofter or Crofting Township/Grazing Committee who is registered in Scotland with IACS or who is using a current milk quota is eligible to apply under the Scheme.
Applications will be considered on a first come first served basis, up to the limit of the budget available in any year.
The Review will be carried out by a professional adviser accredited under the Farm Business Adviser Accreditation Scheme for Scotland. The Scheme is operated on behalf of the Scottish Government by Lantra, the Sector Skills Council for environmental and land-based industries.
The Whole Farm Review Scheme and the associated Accreditation Scheme were developed with the help of a wide range of industry stakeholders, including farmers, industry representatives, advice and skills providers, farm business advisers, environmental bodies and regulators.
Related Information
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Agriculture/grants/BDandM/WFRS
