Crofters

Rebecca McLellan keeps rare Castlemilk Moorit sheep at her farm near Rockcliffe, a breed that originated at the Castlemilk Estate in Dumfriesshire in the early 1900s

"Rural communities and businesses have often felt that the issues we encounter play second fiddle to those in urban areas"

"This Budget fails to deliver the funds for farmers and the whole of rural Scotland"

"For generations, farming families have served to grow food for us all. They are a service to their country and they are custodians of the countryside"

First Minister John Swinney said his Government would return the £46 million taken away from the agriculture Budget in previous years but could not guarantee a commitment to longer-term funding due to only having 'information' for one financial year

In a letter to Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands Mairi Gougeon, NFUS president Martin Kennedy highlighted that NatureScot's established position in favour of a Galloway National Park calls into question its ability to conduct a public consultation in an ‘impartial manner'

Highlands and Islands MSP Tim Eagle has been named as the new Shadow Rural Affairs Secretary

"Every crofter has different strengths and areas of expertise, and it is expected that all participants will have knowledge to share, leading to skills development across the whole community"

Tim Eagle, MSP for the Highland and Islands, said potential changes to agricultural support in Scotland could leave farmers facing increased volumes of paperwork

From gaps in grant funding to opportunities for Scottish farmers and crofters; here is the latest farm grants news for your business