Rumbles urges more start-up funding

The Scottish Government has come under fire for spending nearly 90% of its Young Farmer Start-up Grant Scheme budget in year one.

North-east Liberal Democrat MSP Mike Rumbles yesterday accused the Government of poor planning after it emerged that £5.23 million of the £6m budget for the four-year scheme had been used in its first year.

This leaves £770,000 for the next three years, which equates to the equivalent of little more than £250,000 a year for the remainder of the scheme.

In a written question to the Government, Mr Rumbles was informed that 90 young farmers had been given financial support through the scheme.

“Though I welcome the assistance to a number of young aspiring farmers that has already been made, this is incredibly unfair on those applying for future rounds of the grant who will lose out,” said Mr Rumbles.

“A great deal of effort is put into completing these applications, and young farmers may well feel their efforts are all for naught.

“Assurances must be given that those aspiring to become farmers on their own will be given the support they need and deserve.

“I have been advised by the minister that the Scottish Government is considering options for additional funding to the scheme. However, more rapid action is required.

“If the Scottish Government is committed to attracting new blood to the industry they need to put their money where their mouth is and commit to additional funds for the scheme.”

A Scottish Government spokeswoman for Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said: “Our start-up grants for young farmers have been a real success, with 90 young people all over Scotland receiving the support they need to become farmers.

“Only a Liberal Democrat could see that as a problem.

“Of course, we want to do more and we are currently considering options to provide additional funding to enable more of the next generation of farmers to make their contribution to the future wellbeing of our rural economy.”