This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Crofting grants
31/10/2006
Deputy Rural Development Minister Rhona Brankin today confirmed that crofting grants would be retained as separate grant schemes outwith Land Management Contracts.
Rhona Brankin said:
"We have listened to the real concerns expressed by crofting interests, including the Scottish Crofters Foundation and MSPs from crofting counties. I am happy to announce that we propose to retain the mainstream crofting support as stand alone schemes which will continue to operate for the benefit of the crofting community."
David Green, Chair of the Crofters Commission said:
"The Commission drew the Scottish Executive's attention to the unique nature of crofting and its need for tailor made support schemes. Crofters see these as a measure of the Executive's commitment to crofting. I am delighted that Ministers have responded by agreeing to retain these schemes".
Background
The current Crofting Counties Agriculture Grant Scheme came into operation last April and provides grants to crofters and certain other occupiers of land to aid and develop agricultural production on crofts or holdings in the Crofting Counties.
Main provisions of the scheme
- Open to crofters, small farmers in the Crofting Counties of a similar status to crofters, and crofting groups.
- Grant rates set at 50% in less favoured areas and 40% elsewhere.
- Maximum grant for individuals is £25,000 over a 2-year period, and for groups is £125,000 over a 2-year period.
- Eligibility is limited to applications approved prior to work being carried out.
- Eligible operations are similar to the previous scheme and include land improvement, agricultural buildings, provision of roads and services, and facilities for keeping livestock.
- Provisions to control the budget (£3.1m per annum).
SSI 2006 No. 24 The Crofting Counties Agricultural Grants (Scotland) Scheme 2006 refers.
Crofters Cattle Quality Improvement Scheme (CCQIS)
An interim scheme is currently running and is based on the principle of a 50% grant towards the hire of bulls, conditional on production of clear and measurable improvement proposals. It is and the proposed Crofters Cattle Quality Improvement Scheme will be open to groups of crofters to improve the genetic quality of their cattle.
The main features of the scheme are -
- Grant support is available to crofting groups for the hire or purchase of bulls up to a maximum of £2,000 per bull.
- Bulls are supplied through the Department's stud farm which operates on a full cost recovery basis.
- Groups must produce improvement proposals with measurable targets.